A New Philosophy
by Annibelle White
Summary: Elphaba is not wide-eyed and innocent, though she had resolved to stay that way once she arrived at Shiz. That resolution lasted a year. Fiyero is experienced and curious, and the first thing he does upon transferring is visit the Philosophy Club, where he meets a woman different than any he has ever known. When he asks for more than just one night, she's not sure. Book. Fiyeraba.
1. Chapter 1

It was dark in the Philosophy Club and she liked that. It was dark enough that no one could tell the color of her skin, which meant no one would recognize her, assuming anyone from Shiz was in this Oz-forsaken place. She couldn't figure out why she had bothered to come here in the first place, either. And the noise! Sweet Oz, was it loud. Elphaba stood near the far end of the room, watching couples along the walls beside her make out (or do even more than that - some of them were missing items of clothing) as people danced suggestively in the center of the room.

Nothing she saw was shocking to her, though. She'd seen it all before, sometimes in her own home. Plenty of it she had done more than just see… and she wasn't necessarily ashamed of that. At one point, she had been, but not anymore, especially not here.

At fifteen, a boy she'd been tutoring late one evening at the school had propositioned her. Nanny had warned her many times that it might happen, despite the fact that boys didn't usually find her attractive. Nanny had told her to spurn such advances. But she hadn't listened to Nanny's advice. Why should she? Elphaba had always been curious. What was she saving herself for, anyway? Marriage?

Word had gotten around the school quickly after that regarding Elphaba's willingness to experiment. The girls called her names while the boys began walking her home. They were never interested in much more once they'd gotten what they wanted, though. But that didn't surprise her and she didn't care. She'd gotten what she wanted, too. It was the way the girls treated her when they heard about it that stung more.

But none of those girls were here, and so when she'd arrived at Shiz, she'd resolved to keep to herself. She didn't need rumors flying, and she didn't need the distraction, even if it was often a brief distraction. Elphaba would study, get her degree, and get out. That was the plan - at least it had been for the last year.

She'd heard about this place from whispers among her classmates. It was both feared and admired. From what she could gather, no one she knew had ever gotten the courage up to actually go inside. Always curious, she decided to see what it was about, though that didn't mean she meant to do anything. Her second year hadn't started yet. There was only so much studying she could do before classes started up again.

When she'd entered, a dwarf had tried to sell her tickets to some kind of show that, well, relied on audience participation. But she wanted to stay anonymous, so she shook her head and continued on into the dark room that smelled of sweat and sex. She wasn't sure if she wanted to stay. There were private rooms off the one side, equally as badly lit as the main room. But sex? Sure it felt good, but it didn't motivate her enough to ignore the shriek of the music and the smoke that hovered in the room. With one last glance around the room, she turned to leave. This had been a ridiculous idea.

Before she reached the door, a hand brushed her arm. "Excuse me?" It was a male voice with a small lilt on the "e" sound, apparently an accent.

She turned towards the man, whose features she could barely make out in the lighting of the room. "What do you want?"

"I just…" He sounded like he couldn't be much older than her, though age was hard to tell in a voice. And his accent, was it Vinkun? "I thought I could buy you a drink. You seem… uncertain."

She took a deep breath, debating on how to respond. Elphaba could handle a drink. As a teenager she'd snuck entire bottles of communion wine from her father's stores a number of times for her and any number of young men. So she wasn't worried about getting drunk. Besides, even if she did, sex had been on her mind somewhat when she came here tonight, so it wasn't as though she'd regret it. But the atmosphere was thick, as if it was pressing on her skin, causing the air she breathed to be heavy. She did not want to be around this noise, either. "It's so loud in here, I think I'd better just leave."

"I can buy us a bottle and get us a private room."

His accent made his voice sound like a song, and she liked it. Part of her wanted to give in. Even just listening to him talk would make this little adventure worth the risk. "I suppose that would be agreeable."

The young man went over to the dwarf who had tried to sell her tickets to a live show earlier and flashed some coins which the dwarf took eagerly and handed over a bottle and a key.

As they closed the door behind them, the music faded to only a rumble behind the walls. She could live with that. Elphaba watched the young man as he headed over to a lamp (if you could call it that, it was mostly just a candle in a jar) on a small table beside the only other piece of furniture in the room: a bed. "Wait!"

He hesitated. "What?"

She thought quickly and took off the scarf she had worn to help hide her features as she lit the candle herself. She threw it over the jar. "I like a little mood lighting," she lied. This way, if he saw the color of her skin, maybe he'd think it was simply a trick of the light - her scarf was green, anyway.

Elphaba was barely able to see his mouth form a grin, but she could hear it in his voice. "Well, then, shall we have a little wine?"

"So you're a wine man, then? No beer? No whiskey?"

"You looked like a girl who drinks wine. Was I wrong?"

She laughed lightly and sat down on the bed. "Not at all."

"And as for me, I'm willing to drink a little bit of everything. I'll try anything once. I've never had this wine before. What about you?" He passed her the bottle and sat beside her.

"Me neither. But I'm very fond of trying things, too." She opened it and took a gulp; a bitter sweetness touched her tongue. She swallowed and handed the bottle back to him. "Not bad."

"So, what's your name?" He asked before he took a sip himself.

She paused. "You want to know my name?"

"If you don't want to tell me, at least give me something I can call you."

She could live with that. "You can call me Fae. And what about you?"

"Yero," he said. It sounded foreign, beautiful.

Elphaba grabbed the bottle from him and took another sip. "What brings you here, Yero?"

"Curiosity, mostly. What about you?"

"A bit of the same," she answered, giving him the bottle once more. "What made you ask me for a drink, of all the women in this place?"

"I was watching you. I mean, it was kind of hard to see you," at that they both laughed, "but even just your silhouette, you intrigued me. You don't carry yourself the way any of the other women in here do. You don't seem… desperate."

"I'd think most of the men in here would want desperate."

"Well, I'm not most of them," he shrugged.

"You don't… sound like most of them. Please don't think I'm rude, but that accent, is it Vinkun?" Her curiosity had gotten the best of her. But what could it hurt?

"Yes. You have a good ear."

"I've done some travelling," she murmured.

He placed a hand on her knee. "So have I." And then he kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

It must have been hours later when they finished. The moment she caught her breath, she got out of the bed to dress, wincing at the soreness she felt. She hoped she'd be able to walk comfortably.

"What are you doing?" He asked, languishing in the bed, hands behind his head.

"We're done, aren't we?"

"For now. I was thinking we could get out of here, maybe go to a hotel for the rest of the weekend. I have money. We can stay at the finest hotel in this town, eat the finest food, make love on the finest sheets."

"I'm sorry," she replied quickly, "but I can't." His offer was tempting in some ways. No one had ever done to her body what he had. But he would see her, her skin. That couldn't happen. Besides, she wanted to study a little more this weekend. It was odd, though, no one had ever wanted to spend more time with her after the deed was done.

"Look, Fae, may I be frank?"

"Go ahead," she didn't even bother to try to look at him, "but I do need to leave soon."

"That was amazing. There's no reason we shouldn't do this again. If it can't be this weekend, then maybe another time."

"This was a one-time thing, no matter how good it was. Believe me, you don't want to do this again with me."

"I can't see why not," he insisted.

"Well, I can." She was fully dressed. "Now I really should leave. Plus, you're paying for this room by the hour. I don't want to waste your money." Elphaba walked out the door before any more protests could be made.

People were still dancing in the main area as she strode out. Elphaba had no idea what time it was, so she searched the room for a clock. Her eyes widened when she realized it was almost morning. Her roommate would wonder where she had been. She needed to get back to the dorms as soon as possible.

Galinda was still asleep when she entered. Elphaba tried to close the door behind her quietly, but the blonde's eyes fluttered open as the lock clicked shut. "Elphaba? Where have you been? You missed lights out."

"I fell asleep in one of the study rooms downstairs while I was studying," she lied. She hoped her roommate was too tired to realize she wasn't carrying any books.

"I told you that you study too hard," Galinda said, closing her eyes again and turning over.

As she looked at her bed, she realized how tired she was. Taking off her dress and stepping out of it, she sighed, shaking her head at herself and her behavior. What had she been thinking? Sliding into bed, she closed her eyes and sleep found her quickly.

"Elphaba, it's past noon, wake up!" The high pitched voice dragged her back to consciousness.

She squinted in the light of the room. "Galinda, I told you…"

"Never to wake you up unless you need to be. You've never slept past noon. I thought you needed to be." Galinda was bubbly, awake and dressed, her make-up perfect as usual.

"Fine, fine." Elphaba sat up, memories from the night before flooding her. Judging from the feeling between her legs, that hadn't been a dream. It had been very deliciously real. "I'll get dressed." She grabbed some clothes from her dresser and headed into the bathroom.

Elphaba almost laughed when she looked in the mirror. Her hair was a matted mess and there were minor bruises developing on her thighs. The prior night had been... intense to say the least. She grabbed for her comb and brushed through her hair, sometimes tearing out tangles as she went. Stepping out of her nightgown, she reached for her oils and quickly cleaned up. She grabbed a dress and threw it on, surveying herself in the mirror one last time.

There was a knock on the door. "Elphaba, remember we're having a late lunch with everyone today at the cafe."

She wondered if she should beg off. It wouldn't be the first time, so no one would find it too suspicious. But this was their first gathering since they'd returned for the year. "I'll be out in a minute. You can head over there without me. I'll catch up."

"I'll wait."

Would she ever get a moment alone? After a few more minutes brushing through her hair and then braiding it, Elphaba stepped out of the bathroom. "I am never falling asleep in a study room like that again. My back hurts," she lied, though she felt no guilt about it.

"When you missed lights out, I thought about trying to find you, but I wouldn't know the first place to look. You never tell me anything!"

"Why do I need to? My life isn't that interesting, Galinda." If she only knew…

Galinda stomped out the door, huffing as she did so. "You just don't want to be friends, do you? You know, I didn't want to be your friend at first, either, Elphaba, but I'm trying."

"I just don't understand why the fact that I'm going to go study is important to you."

Galinda didn't speak to her again as they walked, a fact which Elphaba was glad for. It was a short walk from their side of campus, though a little brisk. They entered the cafe in silence and greeted their group.

As she surveyed the table, she noticed a dark-skinned young man talking to Crope. He must be Vinkun, though Shiz did not have a lot of diversity in its student body. But he certainly wasn't Quadling. Something about him seemed familiar, and Elphaba struggled to wonder why.

Before her mind put the pieces together, Galinda sat down and said, "I'm sorry we're late. Elphaba held us up."

"That's a first," Elphaba added. "I mean, usually she's the one who spends all that time doing her make-up and primping."

As she spoke, the Vinkun boy's head shot up and their eyes met. She began to think she knew where she recognized him from. When he opened his mouth, he confirmed her fears. "Fae?"


	3. Chapter 3

Elphaba froze. Everyone around them was so busy chatting it didn't appear anyone had heard the young man. She needed to keep it that way. Looking directly at Yero, though she assumed that wasn't his name, she said, "I need to use the facilities." Before she turned around, she saw him nod.

As she got to the back of the cafe, she stood near the doorway that led to the restrooms, waiting. She didn't have to wait long before he appeared. He opened his mouth to speak, but she didn't let him.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Crope is my roommate. He invited me. I'm starting school at Shiz on Monday. It's a little later than expected, but I did a lot of home schooling and correspondence courses and they let me enter as a second-year. I'm guessing you're a student, too?" He reached to touch her face.

She stepped back. "We need to have this conversation outside. Don't touch me." Elphaba dragged him to the door that led to the back porch where patrons often went to smoke. No one was out there at the moment, which was a relief.

"I thought I'd never see you again," he commented as he stepped into the cold winter air.

"You're telling me." Elphaba leaned against the building. "No one can know what happened last night."

"I had no plans on telling anyone."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "What were you doing there, anyway?"

"I could ask you the same thing. But since you asked first… I was curious. Just like I told you. I'd heard the girls at University were a little different. I wanted to see firsthand."

"Most girls from the University do not go to the Philosophy Club. I'm an exception. And that was the first and the last time. I was curious, too."

"But it wasn't your first time doing…"

"No, it wasn't. And I don't think it was yours, either."

"You'd be correct in assuming that. Perhaps I should actually introduce myself. My name is Fiyero. As I told you last night, I'm from the Vinkus. More specifically, I'm from the Arjiki tribe. I'm actually their prince."

She'd slept with a prince? Elphaba just shook her head.

"Now would be the time to introduce yourself. I believe your name is Elphaba, if I heard your friend correctly?"

"Yes. I'm a second-year from Munchkinland." As she said that, she saw his eyes flick over her skin. "I know, I don't look like one."

"I had no idea your skin…"

"That was the point." She straightened herself up. "I think I should get back in there before people ask too many questions. Fiyero, listen: what I did last night is not something I talk about. I don't know you. You don't know me. Forget last night. We're just going to go back to that table and act like we just met. If you say anything, I'll deny it. I somehow doubt anyone would believe you if you told them, anyway."

"But…"

She shook her head. "I'll go back first. Wait a few minutes and then come back so it doesn't look suspicious."

For the rest of the afternoon, Elphaba played her part. Fiyero played his, too, and she began to feel the tension leave her body. Maybe he would decide not to come out with them again. Perhaps she'd never have to talk to him again. It was a larger school. There was always a chance.

But fate was cruel. On Monday, she arrived early at life sciences like she always had only the find that the classroom wasn't empty as it usually was. Another student had gotten there early. Fiyero.

"I can't get rid of you, can I?" Elphaba placed her book on a desk in the corner of the room furthest from him.

"I was hoping I'd see you again." He gathered his things and followed her, sitting down right next to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Sitting next to my new friend. I did meet you on Saturday, Elphaba. It wouldn't shock anyone that I decided to sit next to the only person in the class that I know."

"You'll make new friends."

"I wanted to talk to you about the other night."

"I don't want to talk to you. Couldn't you tell? I don't recall doing much talking Friday night and I don't want to talk now." She kept an eye on the door, praying other students would get there so maybe he'd stop talking to her.

"You made some noise the other night, some of it was words. I could repeat them for you if you like," he teased.

"Don't start with me." She snapped.

"I asked you on Friday night if you would spend a little more time with me. The offer still stands."

That gave her pause. After seeing her skin, learning who she was, he still wanted her? "I told you that was a one-time thing. It was just a curiosity."

"You can't tell me you didn't enjoy yourself, Elphaba."

"I didn't say that," she replied evasively. "What I said was that it isn't happening again. I need to focus on my school work. I thought you were here to learn, not to get laid."

"I… I was. I am. I just… I didn't even realize what the Philosophy Club was when I decided to go, not until I walked in. And then, I saw you. I wanted you. There was something about the way you stood there."

"I can't handle this right now. Please understand, that isn't who I am. I don't have meaningless sex, not with you or anyone else. It was a moment. The moment is over. I am going to go back to my life the way it was. I've worked hard the past year and a half and I don't feel like getting distracted. Find some new friends. Please, leave me be."

Several other students walked in, chattering amongst themselves. Some of them stopped when they saw Elphaba and Fiyero, staring intently. Elphaba ignored their gaze.

"What are they staring at?" Fiyero whispered.

It had been a long time since anyone stared at her. After several weeks on campus her first year, everyone had gotten used to the strange green girl. But it wasn't her they were staring at. "You."

As the students stopped staring and moved into their seats and more students entered, Fiyero said softly, "Why?"

"I don't believe they've ever seen a Vinkun before. No one has looked at you like that since you got here?"

"Crope did a bit of a double-take when I walked in, but I just thought he was surprised he had a roommate. And at the cafe on Saturday, there were some looks, but I didn't realize…"

She almost felt bad for him. Almost. "They'll stop eventually. Just ignore them."

"It's not that easy."

"Make it that easy." She shrugged. "Now please stop talking to me. I need to pay attention."

When class ended, Elphaba bolted out of class so she wouldn't have to talk with Fiyero any further. He didn't chase after her, for which she was grateful. When she returned to her room, Galinda was gone. She threw herself on her bed. Finally, some time alone. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Elphaba needed to think.

She stared at the ceiling, wondering what she was going to do about Fiyero. His dark skin and sapphire eyes danced through her mind and moments from the other night fled through her mind, teasing her. Perhaps thinking wasn't what she wanted to do right now.

Elphaba grabbed a book and plopped back down on her bed and began reading. Within about fifteen minutes, she'd begun to doze off, glad to finally have some peace and quiet.

There was a knock on the door.


	4. Chapter 4

"What now?" She groaned, climbing off of her bed. Elphaba wondered if answering the door was worth it. Maybe they'd just go away. But the knock came again and she dragged herself to the door. "What do you want?"

He had followed her. She hadn't seem him, but here he was at her door. "I need help. I'm lost."

She rolled her eyes and pointed. "Your dorm is that way, past the library." Elphaba made to shut the door.

"I don't mean like that," he said, shoving an arm into the door. "In class. I studied sciences and I thought I understood everything relatively well but I have no idea what our professor was talking about today and he talked so _fast_."

Elphaba sighed. "That's not entirely your fault. He's not the best professor. The professor we had our first year, he knew what he was talking about…"

"What happened to him?" Fiyero stepped into her room - uninvited, of course.

"He died," she said shortly. She didn't feel like discussing what had happened to Dr. Dillamond at the moment.

"That's unfortunate. Look, I was watching you during class. You know what's going on. Can you please help me?" He grabbed her arm.

She yanked it back. "Don't."

"I'm sorry. I just thought…"

"You thought that after what happened it was acceptable to do that? It's not. I don't like to be touched."

"That certainly wasn't how you acted the other night." He shot back with a knowing look. She realized the door was still open. She'd been hoping he would leave.

She slammed the door, praying no one had been in the hallway to hear that. "How dare you! What gives you the right to bring that up?"

"The fact that it happened. Elphaba, Fae, Elphie, whatever you want me to call you, please. I won't bring it up again if you'll just help me study. Once a week. I'll pay you."

"I don't want your money! I don't want you. What I do want is for you to leave me alone."

"I can't."

"Why?" She sunk against the wall of the room, exasperated.

"I don't understand how this is so easy for you. After what happened between us…"

"You've done it before. Are you this needy to all of the women you sleep with?"

"They were maids. And they weren't… like you. Those girls back home, they just lay there in silence. I was sixteen and Father sent me to a maid's room, told me I needed to get some experience. But that experience was nothing like what we did. You were so alive, so passionate." He stepped closer to her.

"Because I didn't know you. There were no expectations. I just wanted one night. I didn't want this. I still don't." Her experience with him had been different than what she was used to, as well, but she wasn't going to tell him that. Instead, she turned her head from his, but did not back down. "I really think you should leave."

At that moment, the door burst open and Galinda walked in. "Hello, Elphie! I… oh!" She blinked slowly as she realized Fiyero was in the room, standing almost nose-to-nose with Elphaba.

Elphaba quickly backed away from Fiyero. "Good afternoon, Galinda. Fiyero and I were just…"

"Talking about class. Elphaba is going to help me study once a week after our sciences class. We can use a study room if you'd rather us not be in here." He looked at Elphaba imploringly.

She realized she was trapped. "Right," she muttered defeatedly. "I apologize for not telling you we were going to have a guest. It was… unexpected."

"That's fine. You two are welcome to study here! I just came to grab my books for my next class." Galinda raised her eyebrows suggestively at Elphaba. "I'll leave you two alone." She swept out the door as quickly as she had entered.

The moment the door shut, she rounded on him. "You are the most manipulative, imposing man I have ever met! You just waltzed in here, demanded to study with me and basically forced me between a rock and a hard place. Do you have any idea what kind of impression you're making right now? It doesn't make me want to like you very much, that's certain."

He lowered his eyes, almost as though he was ashamed. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think you wanted to explain everything to your roommate. If you'd rather just tell her, you're welcome to go ahead. I don't care."

She pursed her lips. "I think you know I won't. And now I'm stuck with you once a week. You win. You had to cheat to do so, but you won. We'll study next week. Right now maybe you should look over your textbook."

He nodded, but with a pleased grin on his face as he opened the door. "I suppose I'll see you soon then."

"Goodbye, Fiyero." As the door shut behind him, Elphaba turned back to her bed. It looked so comfortable, but she knew that she would get no peace today, if ever. Instead, she sat down at her desk and began to study her history book for tomorrow's class. Keeping busy was the only distraction she could think of to keep her mind from whirling.

She was still reading through the book when Galinda returned several hours later. "Are you and Fiyero done studying for the day?" Her voice had a hint of sarcasm to it.

"Yes," she replied shortly.

"I didn't expect to ever see a boy in here with you," Galinda prompted.

"He's a hopeless cause, but he needs help and he doesn't know anyone else." She didn't look up from her book.

"You two were standing pretty close when I walked in," the blonde pressed.

"We were arguing about something he'd learned from one of his schoolteachers in the Vinkus. He'd been taught incorrectly and he didn't want to admit it. Things got heated. I don't really want to help him if he's not going to cooperate, but he insisted."

"It would be funny."

"What would?"

"The two students weirdest students on campus getting involved."

"We're not involved, Galinda. I do not want to be involved with anyone. I'm just helping him study. This is why I don't tell you anything. You start making assumptions and jumping to conclusions and that's how rumors start."

Galinda pouted. "I was just making an observation."

"Well keep your observations to yourself. I've no interest in that sort of thing."

"Surely, Elphaba, you can't mean that. You never felt anything for anyone? A boy back home at school?"

There had been a boy. The first boy, the one she'd tutored. She'd thought, maybe if she let him… but that hadn't been how it worked out. And it wasn't long before she realized he wasn't worth her affection, anyway. After that, she'd simply had her fun physically - no emotion involved. It was much simpler that way. "No."

"You don't think that one day, maybe…"

"Maybe what, Galinda? I'll get married? Find the love of my life? Have cute little half-green children? What color would they be, Galinda? Lime? No."

Galinda seemed taken aback at that. "I didn't mean… I'm sorry, Elphaba."

She finally looked up from her book and towards her roommate. "Don't be."


	5. Chapter 5

"How do you follow what's going on in class? I can't understand a word he says," Fiyero said as he entered her room after class the next week.

"I've stopped listening," she shrugged. "I try to decipher what chapter we're talking about and then I read it on my own. Most of the time it works."

"I'll have to try that."

"Does that mean you won't need my help anymore?" She drawled.

"You wish."

"I do." Elphaba sat on floor the leaning against her bed, spreading her books around her.

"I've been looking forward to this all week." He sat beside her, knee touching hers.

She scooted away, shaking her head. "Funny, because I've been dreading it just as long. What do you need help with?"

"Let's start with whatever it is he talked about today, because I don't even know what it was." He scooted slightly closer, though not as close as he had been. She decided to pick her battles and let it go.

"He was talking about the Life Force. Past that, I'm going to have to refer to the book because I had trouble understanding his mumbling. I believe the chapter we're looking for is on page 268." She flipped through the book, avoiding his eyes.

"It appears I've left my book in my room. I'll just have to share with you," he murmured, moving himself closer so he could look over her shoulder.

She rolled her eyes. "Subtle."

"I figure I'll wear you down eventually."

"What is it you want from me? I don't understand." She may still want him a little - he was certainly a skilled lover, something she had not experienced prior to him. But she also had other priorities and was not consumed with seeking one more night of mind-blowing pleasure. Elphaba shook her head quickly, trying to get the thought out of her mind. Still, looking at his skin, the diamonds that danced down his arms, the sapphire in his eyes…

He was grinning at her, as though he could read her mind. "A repeat performance or two. Don't deny that you don't think about it."

"I don't do these things with people I know. Emotions could get involved and that means things get complicated. I don't need that in my life, Fiyero."

"You have a point, there. To be honest, my feelings are already a little messy on the subject." He cupped her cheek in his hand.

Gently, she drew his hand away. "You've known me for a week, and I am not the ideal woman. You're clearly deranged."

"What's wrong with liking you? You're gorgeous, intelligent, firey…"

"Maybe we should just get back to studying." Compliments made her uncomfortable. They were so rare to her that she didn't know how to handle them.

"Perhaps you're right. I shouldn't be thinking about another woman like that when I'm supposed to be married." He sighed and bowed away from her slightly.

"Wait - what?"

"I'm a prince, Elphaba, it's custom."

"Oh." Why was her heart sinking - even if only just a little bit? All she knew of this man was his body, though he seemed intelligent. And she couldn't deny he was certainly charming.

"It's not as if I'm married already. I have the freedom to do what I want."

"I noticed." She stared down at her book, wishing he'd just disappear.

He cleared his throat. "So… the Life Force… isn't that a little bit of magic, too?"

She was impressed that he'd picked up on that so quickly. "It is. I'm in a sorcery class and we've discussed it there, as well. But between science and sorcery, the views on it are somewhat different. Science sees the Life Force as something stagnant, something that only exists when life is created by two already living beings. It can be given and taken. Sorcery sees it as more of a malleable force, something that always exists and connects everyone and can be drawn from."

"So in this class we'd be looking at it as something that only exists in a living thing."

"Correct."

"Are there any scientists who are also sorcerers? How do they reconcile their different worlds?"

"There aren't any. Not yet. I intend to be the first. I don't think the worlds have to be different. Science and sorcery could be so much more powerful if the two worlds just worked together rather than apart." Within ten minutes, he had gotten her to discuss her deepest aspirations, her hopes for the future. This was something she hadn't even told Galinda.

"I can't imagine why no one has thought of that before. Think of the advances that could be made in medicine alone." Fiyero leaned in close to her.

"Exactly. The lives that could be saved…" Suddenly she realized his mouth was inches from hers. And before she knew it, her mouth had met his, warm and tantalizing. His hands wound around her waist. She kissed him hungrily, heavily. When she drew back to breathe, he began kissing down her neck. "Fiyero, I don't know if…" Elphaba trailed off.

"Are you asking me to stop?" He murmured between kisses. "I will if you want me to. Just say 'stop.'"

Elphaba bit her lip uncertainly. "Galinda will be back soon."

He continued kissing her. "If privacy is the issue, you know I can remedy that. We could go to a hotel, spend all afternoon and evening making love in every way imaginable. I want to make you moan, hear you whimper, like I did before. Over and over again."

She felt herself melting into him. "We shouldn't." Her mind continued to protest, though her body certainly had a separate intention.

"But we could," he whispered. "Whenever you want."

She swallowed hard, closed her eyes and steeled her will. "Stop."

He did. "If you're sure." Fiyero brushed a wisp of hair away from her face.

"I am." She did not waver.

"You didn't seem so certain before."

She got up and dusted off her skirt, as if trying to wipe away the want, the temptation. "I think we're done for the day, Fiyero. Go back to your room and read your book. And maybe take a cold bath."

He laughed lightly, but didn't stand up. "Um, I can't walk back to my room like this, Fae."

"Please don't call me that. And why not?"

"It's a little evident that I got excited, and beyond the point where I can hide it right now." His face was flushed, but he was smirking.

She forced her eyes to avoid him at all costs and snorted. "Fine. You can have five minutes."

"There are a lot of things we could do with five minutes."

"You took hours last time. And stop that. You'll never relax if you continue on like that."

"You're probably right."

"But perhaps we ought to talk about that for a moment. That was…"

"Amazing?" He prompted.  
"An accident," she replied shortly.

"We seem to have a lot of those." Fiyero observed.

"Maybe we shouldn't study alone like this. It's not a good idea." Elphaba sat beside him again.

"You don't trust me? I stopped when you asked me to."

"It's more than that." The truth was, she didn't trust herself. Every word out of his mouth made her shiver, the touch of his hands made her blood flow faster, and that kiss…

"I promise I'll be good next week. I still need your help. I'm sorry you kissed me."

"You kissed me!"

"I think it was a little of both." He shrugged. "Elphaba, don't shut me out. No matter what we did, what we might do again," he ignored the angry look she shot him, "I want to be around you. I want to at least be your friend."

"You've just proven that you can't do that." _And neither can I,_ she thought a _s_ she folded her arms across her chest.

"Give me one more chance, Elphaba, please. If next week I do something out of line, then I won't even protest."

Knowing he wouldn't leave until she acquiesced, she nodded. "Fine. But you had better be on your best behavior."

"So had you."


	6. Chapter 6

For the next several weeks, Fiyero did not even so much as mention their night together or the kiss. He spoke only of academics, and in doing so, impressed her with the breadth of his knowledge. A boy homeschooled from the Vinkus could not have learned all of this without a sharp mind and a desire to learn. Each week, she cursed whatever higher being there was (assuming one existed at all) for giving the young man a mind just as beautiful as his body. Knowing him better should only have made her want him less, but it appeared to be having the opposite effect. And somehow he had just stepped back. Still, he sat just a little too close, smiled at her a little too sweetly, held her gaze just a moment too long.

When their first day off arrived on a Monday after their first exam grades were posted, Elphaba was relieved to have some time alone. Galinda went home early Friday afternoon to visit her parents since Gillikin was not far. And no classes on Monday meant she wouldn't have to see Fiyero more than in passing for at least a week. Or so she'd thought.

He arrived at her door that Friday afternoon holding all of his books at the same time he usually did on Monday. "I didn't do so great on the exam." His eyes were clouded with worry.

"Fiyero, it's not even Monday and we have Monday off, can't we take a day off of studying?" The concern in his face surprised her and softened her.

"I can't afford to." He walked into the room, put his books on the floor and sat down. Uninvited, as usual.

She felt too bad for him to argue, so she simply sat beside him. "What was the hardest part of the test for you?"

"The human versus Animal versus animal biology. Those questions didn't make a lot of sense."

"That's because they're wrong," Elphaba grumbled. "Doctor Nikidik is prejudiced. I wish you'd been here to see Dr. Dillamond teach. You wouldn't have had so much trouble in this class."

"I tried reading the chapter, Elphaba, I did. But what I was taught back home doesn't correlate and I got a little confused." He sounded so defeated she resisted the temptation to reach out and comfort him.

"That's because they picked a book based on their politics, not on truth. Dr. Dillamond always completely went off the chapter and passed out his own notes."

"What happened to him? You said he died…"

"Morrible claims it was a lab accident," Elphaba said darkly.

He grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him. "You don't believe her."

"He wasn't careless. I worked with him in that lab, Fiyero. It was murder."

"But who would do something like that _here_?"

"Fiyero, do you understand how important the research he was doing was? He was so close to proving that Animal brains are no different from human brains. There are a lot of people out there who don't want that."

"Why? What's wrong with that? Animals deserve respect."

"They do, Fiyero. You're right. But not everyone sees it that way. There have been rumblings from the Emerald City itself. I don't understand why. But to pass that test, Fiyero, you had to lie. And you didn't." She smiled at him and felt him squeeze her hand.

"I couldn't. I thought education meant learning the truth about things, Fae, not being brainwashed. This is ridiculous."

"I know, Fiyero, believe me." She felt his eyes on hers, his hand on hers. This time, she knew _she_ kissed him. Eagerly, she opened her mouth as his tongue pressed against her lips. His hands slid down her torso as he explored her mouth with his tongue. She wound her arms around his neck, pulling him towards her.

He reached around her and lifted her onto the bed, pressing her into it. "Another accident?" He breathed above her.

"Not at all," she replied, smiling at him. "This was entirely purposeful." Elphaba was so tired, tired of fighting desire, the lust that pooled inside her every time he was near.

"Is Galinda returning soon?"

"She's gone for the weekend. We have all the time in the world."

"We're going to need it." He began to kiss her neck again and she tossed her head back, taking in every sensation. His hands began to wander further and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being touched, of being wanted. She sat up a little as he reached around her to unbutton her dress. When he finished, she wriggled out of it and pulled his shirt over his head, letting her hands feel their way along his chest. He was well muscled, just as she remembered.

Meanwhile, his hands were on her breasts, first caressing, then teasing, kneading, molding. His hands were so skilled, and she let a small moan escape her throat. He grinned against her mouth.

He continued to kiss her neck, his teeth slid along her skin and she shuddered as he kissed her collarbone. Then he began to kiss her breasts, making his way agonizingly slowly to her nipples, sucking as he reached them. He closed his mouth over them and nipped at them gently.

He tugged down her panties with his free hand and thrust a finger inside her, rocking it slowly. When he stopped, she thought he was going to enter her, but he lowered his mouth to her instead. This was something the boys she had been with had never bothered to do. He took the nub of flesh between her legs and kissed it, taking it into his mouth as he stuck a finger, then two, inside her. Elphaba groaned and bucked her hips. There was a pressure building along her body and she pressed her hips eagerly against his mouth and fingers, waiting for the sweet release they would bring. He was patient, moving slowly, then quickly when she wanted it, thrusting, asking him to go harder, faster, and he did. When the release came, she cried out.

He covered her mouth with his hand and she was grateful for that, not wanting to draw more attention to them. Fiyero drew his mouth and hands back, then, licking his lips as he did so. With one quick movement, he entered her.

He was so deep inside her; no one had ever reached that point before. It was almost painful, feeling her body adjust, almost tear to make room for all of him once more. She squealed at the feeling, the tightness, the friction of him inside her. He drove himself into her, pushing her legs apart as he did.

Elphaba pressed her hips against his, feeling him go even deeper as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him further in. She gasped for air as he thrust harder, faster. This time the pressure began somewhere inside her, somewhere no one had ever touched before, no one could have possibly reached before him. This is what sex was supposed to feel like, this is why it had been so hard to resist him. His pace quickened and sweet, hard waves of pleasure overtook her, more than she'd ever felt. She bit down on her lip trying not to cry out too loudly. The walls were thin and she was simply lucky her bed didn't make a lot of noise. Her nails dug into his lower back as he plunged even deeper. "That… that was…"

"Was? Oh, my dear Fae, I am far from done. Do you think you can handle more?"

"I certainly hope not," she admitted. "But I look forward to trying."

And she did. Over and over again, she did.


	7. Chapter 7

She didn't jump out of the bed when they finished this time - she wasn't sure she could move. Fiyero wrapped her in his arms, pulled her against his chest. Elphaba's whole body was tingling and sore. "That was better than the Philosophy Club."

She could feel his voice rumble in his chest when he spoke. "You are a remarkable woman, Elphaba. You don't hold back."

"Neither do you." The bed was small and her back pressed against the coldness of the wall as she lay beside him. "Not that I'm complaining. I might be complaining tomorrow, though."

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Come with me tonight. Take me up on my offer this time. I will treat you like a queen."

"Don't you need to study?" Elphaba laughed.

"I figure we'll need a few breaks." When she didn't respond right away, he said, "Elphaba, I'm serious. I've never had the passion, the warmth, the intensity I have with you. I want to get as much of it as I can and savor every delicious moment. No one else needs to know. After all, we probably won't even leave the room."

She pulled herself up against her pillow. "Fiyero, please don't misunderstand me. That was fantastic. I couldn't put into words what that felt like. But if we start doing this on a regular basis, things could get messy."

"Elphaba, things already are messy. I mean, just look at this room…"

The books that had been on her desk before he had put her on it for leverage were spread about the floor. Her sheets were soaked with sweat and fluid. "I'll need to do the wash before Galinda comes back or she's going to have a lot of questions. But you know that wasn't the kind of messy I meant."

"I know. But the same thing applies. I like you, Fae, a lot, and for more reasons than just the physical."

She looked away from him. "And that's why I was worried about this in the first place."

"Are you saying you don't share that feeling?"

"I do. But Fiyero, you're going to be married. Doing this any more than we have will only make it more painful when you do. If we get more attached, I worry things would become complicated."

"You're willing to just give up everything we have, everything between us because of something like that?"

"It's not like it's something small, Fiyero! This has to be just sex. The moment emotions get into it, it becomes more than that. And I don't want it. And you can't want it."

He lifted her chin and kissed her deeply. "Fine. Tell me something."

She curled up beside him comfortably. "Anything. As long as we don't have to discuss our feelings again."

"Where did you get all your experience?"

"Back home," she said simply.

"You started young?"

"Not too young. I was fifteen. I told you when we met that I was curious. I've always been curious. I wanted to know what it felt like. Although to tell you the truth, I don't think I've ever truly felt what it was supposed to feel like until you. When you propositioned me all of those times, Fiyero, it was so hard to say no. I could only resist you for so long."

"I like to think I wore you down." Fiyero played with her fingers.

"I suppose you did." She yawned, suddenly realizing how drained she was. "You should go."

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired and because we can't do this and a million other reasons."

"I assume that's a no on the weekend, then?" He looked hurt, but she wasn't going to let that affect her.

"You'd be correct in that assumption. Now would you please leave? It's late and I should get to sleep." She was fighting off sleep all of the sudden. The exhaustion had hit her like the tide. Her eyes were struggling to close, but she couldn't let them, not until she knew he was gone.

"I'd be happy to stay," he pushed, relaxing even more into the bed.

"I'm sure you would. But you shouldn't…" At this point her eyes refused to open back up and sleep finally won, dragging her down into the recesses of her mind, into darkness and blurred visions.

He was asleep when she woke. The sun had not yet risen, but she could tell morning was coming. There was a small light in the corner of the room, though she usually did not need any light to sleep by. She supposed that had been his doing. In the dim light, she watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed. This was dangerous, so dangerous. Maybe she should get up and kick him out, but she didn't have the heart to.

What was she going to do about him? Giving in yesterday had felt so good, so freeing, but it had also likely been a mistake. She should've known he'd never understand the boundaries that had to be in place given the situation. Not only could they not have an emotional relationship, she wasn't sure she really wanted one to begin with. Elphaba didn't really know how that worked, but she knew it made women weak, and that was something she would not be. And yet, here she was. The fact that she was even thinking about it was clearly her mind betraying her.

His eyes opened a little in the darkness. "Is it morning?"

"Almost. I told you to leave." But neither one of them had made a move to get up.

"You told me I shouldn't stay. There's a difference."

"Don't use semantics on me, Fiyero. You don't want to get into a battle of words with me." She flexed her arms and her legs, preparing to get up.

"You still want me to leave?"

Want? No. Need? Yes. "I need you to go."

"But what about studying? I still have a lot of work to do."

"Come back on Monday afternoon after Galinda's back." The risk of being caught would keep her behavior in check. Her roommate was now her safety net, keeping her from falling into the treacherous trap of sentiment and feeling that Fiyero's arms represented. Arms that were still around her. She willed herself to get up and out of the bed. "I need to clean up, anyway. This place is a mess."

He chuckled softly. "If you insist." The bed creaked as he stood up and gathered his things.

"Please make sure you're not seen when you exit my room. A boy leaving here at this hour says something I'd rather people not know."

"I'm aware of that," he replied as he dressed. "You don't think we should talk about…"

"About what? There's nothing to talk about. Go."

"I'll see you Monday evening." He slid out the door without so much as a sound.

She sighed and surveyed her room. Slowly and deliberately, she began picking up the books on the floor and placing them back on her desk, shaking her head at the torn pages. Then she turned her attention to the now empty bed. "Sweet Oz." At some point the sheets had torn, it looked like it had probably been her nails. She doubted she could remove all the stains anyway. Elphaba could barely afford new sheets, but she supposed she'd have to go out and find some before her roommate returned. She'd rather make up an embarrassing story about having to replace her sheets because of an accident than explain to anyone why she actually had to.

She fell into her chair and tore her hands through her hair. How could she be so stupid? Elphaba had always prided herself on the fact that she never listened to her body or her heart. Even when she'd done this before, it had been intellectual curiosity. This had been plain lust… and maybe a little bit of affection. She had thought she was above such things, but apparently even she had her weak moments. It appeared that she could no longer trust herself.

That presented a problem. How was she to keep this from happening again?


	8. Chapter 8

Galinda's train was late. Of course it was, today of all days. Usually Elphaba would be grateful for an empty room, but not right now. Her heart sank when there was a knock at the door. Her roommate would've just entered.

Elphaba answered the door slowly, wanting to give her roommate every second possible to arrive and save her, but it was pointless. "Her train is late," she told him before she let him step inside.

"So we're alone?" He glanced around the room as he walked in.

She lowered her head. "We are."

He put his books down on her desk. "Then perhaps we should talk about what happened Friday night."

Continuing to study the floor, she shook her head. "I don't think that's necessary."

He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face towards him. "I do. Would you look at me?"

"If you insist." She tried to clear her eyes of emotion, to give him the best blank stare she could come up with, though she wasn't sure that she was doing it as well as she'd hoped.

"I had some time to study and some time to think."

"Let's talk about what you studied," she replied evasively.

"Not until I've said what I need to say. You were right. It's complicated and it's messy and there are a million reasons it's a bad idea. Except there's one reason you never gave me: that you don't want to. For the first time, I'm away from my family, from my parents and the guards and everyone running my life and I want to do what _I_ _want_. And I know you want it, too. Tell me you don't feel that longing, and I'll quit bothering you. Swear to me that when I kiss you there's no emotion, and I'll never ask you for help again." At that, he drew her to him and kissed her, winding one hand in her hair, taking her breath away. She didn't know how to respond, though her body was doing what it had been doing lately and betraying her, sinking into him.

"Elphaba, I hope you weren't lonely without me… Oh dear! It appears you weren't lonely at all." Galinda chose that moment to walk in the door. She should've figured as much.

"That wasn't how that was supposed to end," Fiyero muttered as he stepped away. "Good evening, Galinda."

"Elphie!" Galinda was bouncing up and down in the doorway, a delighted look on her face.

"Shut the damned door," Elphaba snapped. "The whole hallway does not need to know our business." Fuming, she walked to the window. "I don't even know what to say right now."

"Then let me," Fiyero interjected. "Galinda, Elphaba and I…"

"It's complicated." She stopped him, unsure of what he had been intending to say next. "And it won't be happening again."

"Then tell me, tell me you felt nothing," Fiyero demanded. "Tell me you felt nothing just now when I kissed you. Tell me you felt nothing Friday night when _you_ kissed _me_ and got carried away and…"

"Friday night?" Galinda asked.

"Stop! I'm not doing this with her here. Get out. Now." She grabbed a notebook off of her desk and tossed it at him. "My notes. Study them. I want them back next time I see you. Now go!"

He hung his head and skulked out the door, not saying another word.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Galinda asked quietly.

"I don't think I have a choice," she replied.

"I'm sorry. If I had known I was interrupting something, I never would've…"

"Don't apologize. He was out of line and he knows it." Elphaba took a deep breath.

"I didn't know you two were involved."

"We're not. He just wants us to be."

"You certainly seemed involved." Galinda observed gently. "I don't mean to pry, but from the little I heard of your conversation, Elphie, I think there's a lot more going on then you're telling me. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I'm here, Elphaba, and I'm willing to listen. If there's something wrong and you need to get it out, or if you need advice, I want to help you. Let me help you, Elphaba."

She bit her lip, remembering the way the girls back at Clowen Grounds had looked at her, had whispered about her. "I can't tell you everything. I don't think you really want to know it all, anyway, believe me. I'm not a good person, Galinda."

"I don't believe that for a moment. I'm not going to judge you. I already judged you plenty when we first met. Right now you seem like you need a friend. I am your friend. Tell me what happened. Maybe I can help."

"There's nothing you can do to help, Galinda." Elphaba sat on her bed.

"Maybe you need a different set of eyes. This is the last time I'm going to ask, and then I'll let it be. What is going on?" The blonde sat beside her, grey-green eyes stared at her genuinely, intently.

It occurred to Elphaba that her roommate probably had more relationship (not that that's what this was) experience than she, and that maybe she could at least understand some of the unfamiliar things she had been feeling. But should she tell her everything? She supposed there was no way around it. "I don't know where to start."

"How about the beginning? When did you first start having feelings for Fiyero?"

"I never said I had… oh, forget it. When? The night we first met."

"At the cafe? I thought there was tension there!"

"No. See, that's the problem. I'd met him the night before… at the Philosophy Club." At her roommate's shocked look, she continued. "I was curious. I wanted to know what it was like inside. I'm not as innocent as you think, Galinda."

"Nobody is these days," her roommate said evenly, surprising her.

"You're going to have to expand on that later."

"I mean, I haven't… I'm scared… I just mean that basically everyone else has. Hell, both Shen-Shen and Pfanee have slept with Avaric."

"Avaric? Ew!"

"But we're not talking about that; we're talking about you. What happened at the Philosophy Club, Elphie?"

"What do you think?"

"In a club?"

"No. They have private rooms that you can rent by the hour. That tells you the kind of establishment that is, doesn't it?" She felt ashamed just talking about it.

"You didn't hurt anyone, Elphaba. There's nothing wrong about what you did." Her roommate grasped her hand. "But why? You know, he doesn't seem like the type."

"Do I seem like the type?" When Galinda shook her head, Elphaba continued. "I didn't know he was a student. I could barely see him. It was dark. It was anonymous. That was the point. And then suddenly Crope brings him to the cafe the next day and we recognized one another. I wanted it to end there, but he wanted more."

"In what way? Emotional or physical?"

"I think at the beginning it was probably just the latter. But what happened at the Philosophy Club was a fluke. I did some questionable things back home, but since I got here I've focused on my studies. I just wanted to go back to that. But he was in my classes. He insisted on studying with me. Being so close to him, listening to him talk, just looking at him, all of the sudden, focusing was difficult. Friday night, when you were gone, he came by, upset about his exam grade and I kissed him. And… he ended up spending the night."

"I wasn't going to bring up the fact that you bought hideous new sheets because I know you don't like to be questioned, but I suppose I know why now. But really, Elphaba, the color is terrible."

"It was the best I could find," she shrugged.

"Back to the point. So he came over this evening…"

"I told him it couldn't happen again. I don't want more than what we had, and even if I did, he's got some child-bride back home he's supposed to marry. So I told him to come back when I thought you would be here and we'd study and we wouldn't be alone."

"But I was late… What did he say when he got here?"

"He said that he wanted more, but he didn't clarify quite what that meant. I don't know what I want, Galinda, but I know I don't need it."

"I think you know what you want, or you wouldn't be thinking about it."

"It's too tangled. I can't get involved in this kind of a mess."

"You already did." Galinda hugged her. "I have one question, Elphaba. Does he make you happy?"

"He makes me confused," she answered honestly.

"Confused because he makes you happy?"

She nodded slowly.

"Go to him. Tell him so. Forget whatever the future holds. You'll deal with it when you come to it. Relationships at our age are supposed to be fun, Elphie. You don't have to marry him. But you need to tell him, you need to try."

"Galinda, when he said he wanted more, he didn't specify exactly what more he wanted - just more of the physical or if he meant…"

"Then ask him."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

She didn't answer. The truth was she was afraid he'd tell her something she didn't want to hear.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day between classes, Galinda sought out Fiyero as he headed to lunch. Before he had even seen her, she grabbed his arm. "We're going to talk."

Fiyero blinked, not sure where this was going. "If you say so."

"Do you have another class right now?"

"No, I was headed back to my room to work on my history paper."

"Can it wait?"

She was being so brisk, hands on her hips, lips pouted. He looked at her with uncertainty. "I suppose it can."

"Then walk with me to Suicide Canal." Without another word, she turned and headed towards the canal.

"What is this about? Is it Elphaba?"

"We'll talk when people won't overhear us. She'd kill me if anyone heard us talking about her. Actually, she'd probably kill me if she knew I was talking to you about her."

"That wouldn't surprise me." He followed her silently.

She sat on the ground under a large tree on the edge of the canal. There were other students nearby, but none who were within earshot. He supposed she'd had plenty of private conversations there, gossiping and talking about boys with her friends.

He sat down beside her. "I don't know what Elphaba told you, but if you want me to give you more information, you're barking up the wrong tree."

"She told me everything."

He raised his eyebrows. "Everything?"

"The Philosophy Club."

That was enough for him. "So she did tell you."

"It surprised me a little, too. But that's not the point, Fiyero. We need to talk about her."

"Why? She's said multiple times that nothing can happen."

"I would think you would know her well enough by now to know she doesn't always say what she feels. She's too logical for that." Galinda looked at him knowingly. "But that doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings."

"What did she tell you?"

"Nothing I'm going to repeat. Fiyero, what are your intentions here? When you asked her for more, did you mean more physically or did you actually mean a relationship?"

He blinked slowly. Fiyero thought he had been clear what he wanted, and what he wanted was Elphaba, physically, emotionally and otherwise. "The situation is complicated."

"I know about your soon-to-be wife, too. So you just wanted something physical to pass the time?"

"I didn't say that! Just because I have to marry someone else doesn't mean I don't want a relationship with Elphaba. It just makes things a little difficult. That's no reason not to try. Why are we talking about this?"

"Because I need to know."

"Why?"

"I'm not going to give her advice about you unless I know what she's getting into. I'm going to protect her, Fiyero. Life is hard enough for her as it is."

"You mean because of her skin? If she heard you say that, she'd hit you. You know she doesn't want your pity or your help."

"That doesn't mean she doesn't need it sometimes." Galinda replied, sticking her nose in the air. "I may not understand exactly what happened between you two, or why, but I think I understand her. At least I thought I did until she told me all of this."

"And you really think she wants to be with me?"

"I know she wants that. There's no denying it. But for her, there's more to it than that. I don't even think she knows _how_. And part of me thinks she's the slightest bit worried that her want, her affection is stronger than yours and that you won't be so keen on her if you knew that. And that maybe you want the physical and if she puts herself out there for more, you're going to reject her."

"I seriously doubt that she feels more strongly than I do. I do want more. I've told her that. She doesn't seem to be able to accept it."

"I told you, she doesn't know how. And she doesn't like not knowing things."

"That's for sure." He sighed and got up. "Look, I really need to work on that paper. Would you tell her to come see me and get her notebook back later? I want to see her. You don't have to tell her we talked, just tell her you ran into me and I just asked for you to tell her to come by."

"I can't guarantee that she will, but I'll relay the message." She turned to leave.

"Galinda?"

"What?"

"You can't live her life for her or protect her from everything, but… thanks for this."

"Don't thank me yet." She bounced away.

He spent the rest of the afternoon in his dorm, hoping against hope Elphaba would bother to show up. Fiyero had almost given up hope when the knock came.

"My notebook?" She didn't even step into the room, she merely held out her hand, looking straight through him.

"It's around here somewhere. Come in while I find it." He grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, closing the door behind her. "You can sit down if you want."

"Where's Crope?" She didn't sit down.

"With Tibbett. I go days without seeing him. I really hope Tibbett doesn't have a roommate. If he does, I feel bad for the poor soul."

She let out a short laugh.

He stopped pretending to look for her notebook (which he happened to know was in the top drawer of his desk). Fiyero took her hand gently. "Elphaba, I'm sorry. I'm sorry we met the way we did. I'm sorry that my life makes this complicated. I'm sorry if I pushed you too much. I'm _not_ sorry, however, for the way I feel about you."

"Fiyero…" Elphaba opened her mouth, but seemed to think the better of it. She just blinked quickly and lowered her eyes.

"You said things were messy. I realize that. And I understand that things went in a different order for us and this was never what was supposed to happen or how. I know that you are uncertain about this and there are a lot of causes for that uncertainty. I will try to make things less uncomfortable. I don't know what I'm doing, either, you know. I was never supposed to do this, just like you never expected to. But I do know I want to. I can't promise you anything but to try, Fae."

She stood in silence for a moment, one that seemed to last forever. But she didn't take her hand away, which brightened his spirits a little. "If we do this, Fiyero, we can't go back. We can't pretend it didn't happen."

"We've already been trying to pretend. And you know it didn't work in the first place. So let's just acknowledge it and let things go whatever way they go. I know you don't like not having control over something, not knowing, but sometimes that's the best part. Anything could happen."

Her face was blank for a moment, and then she giggled. "I've never seen someone argue so passionately and relentlessly for something in my life. It's, um, well, it's adorable."

"Clearly you've never argued with yourself." He smiled back at her. Fiyero bit his lip, not sure if he should push for an answer.

She looked at him, then, not through him as she had before. "Fiyero, I promise to try, too."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** I'm surprised this is my first note. I usually do one early in the story explaining myself, how I came up with the idea and all that. Except... I've been writing this for months. I don't even remember how it came to me, but I wasn't sure I wanted to post it since it is a bit more... explicit than my usual work, and my work is somewhat explicit to begin with. That's why this is rated M instead of me just putting content warnings on chapters. I mean, they meet by having sex. It's going to be a sexual story more so than the others. It happens. I'd like you guys to review, though. I know there are people who have favorites or alerts on me as an author, and judging from the stats, people are looking at this. One review couldn't hurt, right? Anyway, without further ado...

* * *

The way his eyes lit up weakened her knees. She hated the way he made her feel so weak all the time, but Elphaba had started to realize that maybe it was worth it, especially when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back heatedly, but drew back after a moment. "What happens now?"

He took her hand and sat her down on the bed beside him. "I guess it's a bit of the blind leading the blind. I have some ideas."

"And those ideas would be?"

"Hopefully, you'll stop trying to get away from me every moment we're together. That would be a start. Maybe you'll even be the one to suggest we spend time together. And one of these days, you'll let me pamper you for a weekend at a nice hotel without a word of protest." He rested a hand behind her ear, gently running his fingers through her hair.

"You're still going on about that?" His smile was contagious and she found herself smiling back. "Maybe someday, yes."

"I'm already looking forward to it."

"Are there any other ideas I should know about?"

"I don't get kicked out of the room when you're scared we're getting too intimate."

"I didn't kick you out."

"You wanted to and you would have had you not fallen asleep."

"Probably."

"And in regards to intimacy," he kissed her softly, "I'm going to kiss you and hold your hand and touch you without it needing to lead to anything and without you feeling the need to panic."

"That would be nice," she sighed, leaning against him. Not worrying about her feelings about him would be a relief. She pressed her face against his chest, breathing him in, letting her mind be still for just a moment.

"And what about you? Do you have any ideas?"

She nodded. "Actually, yes. You will let me have time to myself, because I will always need that."

"I will respect that."

"You will not expect me to be cutesy or sweet all the time. I don't know how to do that and I don't particularly want to, especially around other people." And the thought that haunted her, had made this decision difficult from the beginning, came out, "And when the time comes for this to end…"

"If," he corrected.

"You will tell me. You won't draw it out. And if and when that time comes, you will give me space. You will not sit next to me. You will not study with me. At some point if that has to happen, you need to accept it and let me go."

"I will. I won't like it. But I'll accept it. I have one more idea of my own."

"What is it?"

"After this conversation, we won't talk about that. We won't let it affect what we do now together."

She wished it were something she could ignore, and she'd try her best to do so. "If that's possible, sure."

They both sat in silence for a moment. After several minutes had passed, he said, "So…"

"I'm guessing you didn't intend to give my notebook back."

He laughed. "It's in my desk drawer. I thought you'd see through it and you wouldn't come. You can have it back if you want."

"I knew when she told me. I also knew you'd talked about more than just me getting back my notebook. I almost didn't come over here, but she pushed and the nagging got so bad I would have rather been here."

"I'll have to thank her for that."

"I don't know what the two of you said and I don't care, but I'd rather you two not plot behind my back, no matter that you think it's for my own good." She folded her arms across her chest.

"We both care about you. And she started it."

"Blaming her? How mature of you." Elphaba found herself laughing, though. "I'm sure I'm in for an interrogation when I get back."

"Stay here for a while, then. Drive her crazy wondering what happened. We could talk about your notes or-"

She stopped him with her mouth over his, sliding her body into his lap. "Or what?"

"Or we could do that. In fact, I think I vote for that." His hands were already at the buttons on her blouse.

She took his hand and asked quickly,"What if Crope comes back?"

"I see him maybe once a day for five minutes at the most. And even if he does, you really think he'll say anything? He and Tibbett are probably doing something similar downstairs, only with different anatomy."

She cackled and let his hands go back to roaming. "You're probably right."

"May I ask you something?" He slid one hand up her skirt, teasing her panties down and tossing them to the side of the bed.

"You can ask or _do_ just about anything right now and I won't stop you." She turned so she was straddling him and began to undo his pants.

"At the Philosophy Club, when we didn't know each other and I asked you to spend a weekend with me, why did you refuse? I thought we were enjoying ourselves." He slid a hand up her blouse and cupped her breast, teasing the nipple with his thumb.

"Oh, we were." She paused for a moment. "But I didn't want you to see my skin. That's why I hid the lamp, too. My skin usually doesn't draw the type of reaction I want."

"Fae, I like your skin. You are absolutely breathtaking. When I realized it when I saw you again in the cafe, it only made you more attractive to me." He brought his free hand up to her face, caressing her cheek.

"And when I saw the diamonds on your skin, I felt the same way," she admitted. She put one hand on his shoulder and with the other helped him into her, rocking against him.

He kissed her ears, teased at the lobes with his teeth as she took him deeper. His hand wound into her hair and he tugged at it gently as she tossed her head back. The other hand went to her bottom, pressing her onto him, urging her to take him as far as she could. "Just thinking about you, about that night, it drove me crazy."

"You're not the only one," she told him as she continued to sway her hips, taking in each inch eagerly. "You're very… skilled."

"We aren't nearly as obsessed with chastity in the Vinkus. Sex is not taboo. There's an ancient Vinkun book dedicated to pleasure. It's passed down from generation to generation. But even so, the few women I was with before you, Fae, they weren't nearly so exciting. You brought out something in me. Just that look in your eyes, the one you're getting right now. The way you take what you want, aren't ashamed to enjoy yourself, aren't afraid."

Her breath quickened as she moved faster, feeling the thunderous ebb and flow of pressure begging to be set free. As she found her peak, she bit the inside of her cheek, panting as she slowed down.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and stood up as she draped her legs around him, carrying her towards the desk where he set her down. "I can't have you doing all the work." Both hands went to her knees and pressed them open as he angled his thrusts deeper. He slid one hand up her thigh and began to tease the sensitive little mound of flesh just above where he was entering her.

"Oh!" The two sensations at once were almost too much to bear and she bucked her hips against him. "I suppose you studied that book pretty well, then."

He laughed against her ear. "I've never been more glad I did. The things I want to do to you, sweet Fae, you can't even imagine."

She gasped as he drove into her harder and she let out a small squeal. Elphaba could barely take all of him. Each time he thrust, he elicited a pleasure from inside her that she hadn't even been aware of until him, pleasure so sweet it tore through her like fire and she moaned into his chest. Her blood sizzled and her body tingled and she writhed against him in delirium. Looking up at him, even his eyes were smiling. "I'd like to know about these things you plan to do someday," she said as she caught her breath.

"Don't worry. I plan to tell you in vivid detail. But right now, I think I'd rather show than tell."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** I realize that this may be a bit dirtier than my usual work (you guys should see the future chapters because it only gets smuttier). Some of you probably like that, some not so much. There's a reason this is rated M. However, fanfiction search defaults to K-T, so sometimes people do see the rated M stuff unless they seek it out, so I'm not too concerned that anyone is uncomfortable. I did get one review, so I'm happy about that. Anyway, let's continue with our story, shall we?

* * *

Elphaba looked out the window next to his bed. "I think it's probably time for dinner. It's getting dark." She turned to Fiyero. "I guess I should head over and see what Galinda's dinner plans are."

"Or we could have dinner together. I'm starving." He placed a hand on her arm. "We can go to the cafeteria in Crage or we can go somewhere in town. What are you in the mood for?"

"Fiyero, are you asking me on a date?" The prospect made her giggle a little bit.

"Yes. That's what we discussed earlier, isn't it?"

"It is. You know, Fiyero, most people go on dates and then have sex, not vice-versa. But then again, we aren't most people. We never have been."

"Is that a yes? Are we going to dinner or not?"

"We're going."

"I suppose we should make ourselves presentable."

Elphaba walked over to the mirror across the room. "And put on the pieces of clothing that we might be missing," she added as she grabbed her panties off the floor and stepping into them. She looked a bit disheveled and she shook her head, straightening out her shirt and fixing the buttons on her blouse. She tugged her fingers through her hair and reworked her braid. Looking over at him, she said, "You need to button up your pants and your shirt collar is sticking straight up. Do you even use a mirror?"

"Crope spends most of his time putting on make-up in front of it, so sometimes I just have to guess."

"Sounds like my roommate, too."

A key began turning in the lock and Fiyero said, "Speaking of roommates."

Crope was humming to himself as he stepped into the room, hair tousled. He looked at Elphaba, still working on her hair at the mirror and Fiyero, who hadn't yet fixed his collar, though his pants were thankfully buttoned, and grinned. "Why hello, Elphaba. Funny seeing you here." He winked at her.

"It is. From what I gather, you spend more time in Tibbett's room than in your own." She finished her braid and put a hair tie on it.

"Elphaba and I were just going to dinner." Fiyero shrugged.

She walked over and straightened his collar herself. "I think we're just going to head over to the cafe. I'm not too hungry."

"I never would've imagined you two as a couple," Crope observed.

"Me either," Elphaba agreed.

"I never would've imagined you, Elphie, with anyone."

"I don't think I want you imagining me at all, thank you."

"Do you want to come with us for dinner? Or are you eating with Tibbett again?" Fiyero asked. "I'm sure Elphaba wouldn't mind if you joined us."

"Oh, you know I'm eating with Tibbett. But thank you dears so much for the invitation. I will see you later!" He fluttered out of the room.

"I think that's the longest conversation with him that I've had in weeks," Fiyero commented.

"I envy you," she replied.

Later that night as they walked back from the cafe, Fiyero asked, "What classes do you have tomorrow? You can spend the night. I know Crope won't be back until at least morning. He never comes back when they go to dinner."

"Think of what Galinda would say if I didn't come back tonight! And I have morning classes. Not to mention, Fiyero, that I've spent the whole afternoon and evening with you. I have schoolwork and studying to do."

"You're right. I should probably get some things done, too. Just know that you're welcome to stop by whenever. If Galinda becomes too much for you, I'm always willing to let you spend time in my room."

"Trading one pushy person for another."

He looked offended. "Hey!"

"I like your pushiness," she laughed. "At least I like it more than Galinda's nagging. There are times where I think I'll just go to the library or to a study room, thank you. But I'm sure there will be nights I spend with you. You can be exhausting."

"I try," he teased.

"I'm going to head back. There's no way I'm getting any work done tonight. Galinda is surely going to demand all the details of our conversation. I had better go."

"May I kiss you good night?" He looked around them.

She reached for his hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Not out here. Not right now."

"Will I see you again before class on Monday?"

"I'll come by on Saturday once I've finished my studying," she promised. "I don't need you distracting me more until then. Good night." Elphaba turned and headed inside, preparing herself for the onslaught of queries from Galinda.

"That was a long visit just to get back a notebook that you don't even appear to be holding, Elphie," the blonde said as Elphaba walked in the door.

"I think you know it was never about that. I gather the two of you have been talking, by the way." She headed to her closet to find a nightgown.

"He told you?"

"You told me. Hours ago. I just didn't say anything."

"Then stop taunting me and tell me what happened." The girl folded her arms across her chest and huffed.

"He asked me. Again. And I did what I wanted."

"Good. I hoped you would. Still, you were over there much longer than just a question-and-answer." Galinda's eyes sparkled with unasked questions.

"We had dinner."

"For six hours? You must've been hungry."

"Galinda, you know what happened. I don't need to spell it out for you. But let me tell you one thing: I do not appreciate the two of you talking about me and planning my life. I understand that you had honorable intentions, and I'm not mad. Not this time."

The bubbly girl seemed to completely ignore her stern lecture. "So you two are together now?"

"For the moment," Elphaba shrugged. "You understand it's more complicated than that."

"Well, I'm happy for you. He really does care about you, Elphie. I could tell when I talked to him. Are you happy?"

"I suppose." She hadn't thought about it that way, but being in his room with him, having dinner with him… Elphaba couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled as much as she had in the last few hours.

"Aw, you're blushing!" Galinda hugged her roommate tightly. "You two are going to be such a cute couple."

"Now I remember why I went to his room in the first place," she muttered.


	12. Chapter 12

One Saturday several weeks later, they'd all arranged to meet for dinner at a local cafe. Even Nanny and Nessa were going.

"Why are you leaving?" Fiyero grabbed her hand as she started to get out of bed.

"Because I need to change and make sure I look acceptable before we go to dinner. Fiyero, Nessa and Nanny have no idea how much time I've been spending with you. I can't show up with you looking disheveled and unkempt." She pulled her skirt on quickly.

"Nanny doesn't check on you at all? I would think she'd have figured out by now…"

Elphaba sighed as she finished dressing. "Nanny caught me with a boy back in Munchkinland. I thought I was in for it or that she'd tell my father, but the only thing she told me was that I better be careful. She never said another word to me about it. She's never been stern with me. But you know Nessa, Fiyero, if she finds out about my… wanton behavior, she'll be horrified. Now I have to go."

"Wait." He got up and pulled her into a deep, heady kiss. "I'll see you in a bit."

"You might want to freshen up, too, my dear." She eyed him, noting he still hadn't even gotten up to dress.

"Will you come back here with me after dinner?" He asked, finally sitting up.

"I would think you'd have had your fill. I'm tired, my sweet. I'm not up for that again."

He sighed and brought her back to the bed, sitting her down. "More than a month now. It's been over a month and you still don't seem to understand that maybe I want to spend time with you for other reasons. Maybe I want you here to talk. Or maybe because I like having you next to me. Or maybe I like the way your skin smells after you've just used that oil. Why do you always think it's about sex, Fae?"

"I'm sorry. It's just strange to me, I guess. I didn't mean to imply that. Yes, I will come back here later. I have to at least to pretend to go back to my room." Feeling guilty because she could tell he was hurt, she kissed his cheek.

"Will you ever accept this?" He asked.

"I have. I do. Just… I've spent years only being used for sex and grades. This is different for me."

"It's different for me, too, you know." Fiyero told her. "But I like it."

"I like it, too," she nuzzled against him for a moment. "I do need to go change, though."

"I'll see you soon. Do you want me to save you a seat if I get there first?"

She bit her lip. If she told him not to, it would hurt him and he was already uneasy. But she didn't particularly want to sit beside him with Nanny and Nessa there. Still, she realized hiding their relationship was pointless. "Yes. That would be great." He'd never understand how much she was dreading this.

Of course, he had gotten there before her. Even though she wasn't one for primping, it somehow took him less time to get ready than she. She could only blame Galinda for her slowness so much. Elphaba slid into the seat beside him, trying to subtly scoot herself away from him slightly as she pushed her chair back in.

They hadn't really been out with everyone since they'd gotten "together," as he put it. Crope knew and Galinda knew. She wasn't sure who else did. It didn't matter, of course, but she'd rather no one make a huge deal about it. Quietly, she said to him, "Nice to see you again."

"You mean you missed me? One hour is a long time." He laughed, sliding his hand over hers on the table. She fought the urge to draw away.

Nessa and Nanny were the last to sit down, as it always was. Elphaba wasn't particularly worried about Nanny. It was Nessa that concerned her. Neither one of them appeared to be paying much attention to her tonight. They were sitting beside Galinda, who was entertaining Nessa with stories about her sorcery class while Nessa frowned about the religious implications.

The others, however, were not as keen on leaving them alone. "Why, Miss Elphaba, are you holding hands with Fiyero?" Pfanee asked with a giggle.

Galinda shot her friend a look, but everyone had already turned to stare at the couple.

Fiyero looked at her as if asking permission and she nodded. "We've gone out a few times," he said casually.

She appreciated his nonchalant attitude, hoping it would rub off on the others.

"That's so cute!" Shen-Shen exclaimed. "This is an unexpected development. Romance in our little circle."

Elphaba made a mental note to tell Fiyero what she'd learned about Shen-Shen and Avaric later, trying not to scoff at the irony of what the girl had just said. "Um… yes. I suppose it is." She stared uncomfortably at her lap.

"But Fiyero's people are godless, Fabala!" Nessa's prideful tone made her wince.

This is what she'd been hoping to avoid. "And so am I."

"If Father heard you say that…"

"He wouldn't be surprised. He would, of course, be concerned about his image."

"Elphaba!"

She caught Nanny's eye across the table, eyes that were dancing with laughter though her lips were pressed thin. The old woman nodded at her. Elphaba took that to mean approval. She felt Fiyero move his hand and she swallowed hard, not wanting to look at him and ask why. Of course, she didn't need to, as his hand landed on her knee under the table, squeezing gently in an effort to comfort her.

"Perhaps we should drop the subject," Fiyero said calmly, though his tone was stern.

She looked at him gratefully. "Yes, that's a good idea."

"How did this start?" Tibbett butted in.

They hadn't decided on how to explain that without talking about the Philosophy Club, at least they had never discussed it. "Um, well…"

"We're in Life Sciences together, and I had a little trouble picking it up at first so Elphaba generously offered to study with me. And I suppose it just grew from there."

"I've never seen you two together before now," Boq commented.

That was true. They did spend a lot of time alone - for good reason. "We didn't want to attract too much attention." That much was true, at least.

"I suppose you would attract a lot of attention," Avaric muttered wryly.

"Oh shut up, Avaric." Galinda snapped. "Let's leave them be."

She shot a thankful glance at Galinda.

Later that evening, everyone dispersed and she pretended to head back with Galinda. As soon as she got there, however, she grabbed her things and left, hoping Nanny and Nessa wouldn't come to speak with her about dinner. She didn't particularly care if they did, anyway. Nanny wouldn't care and Nessa wouldn't notice unless Nanny made a big deal about it.

Fiyero drew her to him the moment the door closed behind them. "I'm glad that's over."

"Me too," she murmured. "I'm exhausted just from dealing with all those questions." She began undressing but realized she'd forgot to wash before coming over there. "Oh, I might need to run back. I need to bathe."

"You left this here last time," he said, pulling a bottle out of the drawer. "It's mint oil." Fiyero opened the bottle and poured some into his hands. "I'll help you."

She looked at him hesitantly. "I've never let someone do that."

"Well, maybe now is the time to start."

"You have to be careful. You could hurt me." It was one thing to sleep with him, but this left her more vulnerable than anything else.

"I'll be careful. Tell me what to do."

"Use as little as possible. If you use too much, it'll burn. Basically I rub my skin until it's dry again. I… I don't know." She bit her lip.

"I won't hurt you. I promise," he said earnestly.

She spread her arms out so that he could reach and swallowed hard as she felt him begin at the tip of her left hand. It stung a little, but it always did. He made soothing circles along her palm, then her forearm.

"Tell me if I'm hurting you." He moved his hands along her other arm, then her back, slowly going lower. His hands were light and tender.

"You're not." She avoided his eyes. Her heart was pounding as she felt him rub the oil on her bottom, her legs, then her front and abdomen. This felt more intimate than anything she'd ever done with him or anyone else. Elphaba closed her eyes as he continued, concentrating on the feel of his hands, on the softness of his touch as he circled her breasts cautiously.

When he finished, he kissed her gently. "I'd never hurt you, you know."

"One day, Fiyero, you aren't going to have a choice."


	13. Chapter 13

The winter holidays were the only time outside of the summer when he was actually able to return to the Vinkus, and he had an agenda, one he hadn't discussed with Elphaba. He knew what she would say if he told her, and he'd rather her lecture him about it later than know she didn't want him to do it and disobey her now.

He decided to wait a few days before broaching the subject over dinner. "Father," he began apprehensively, "I've been seeing a girl at school."

His father shrugged. "I wondered if that might happen. Women outside of the Vinkus can be prudish and uninterested. I'm surprised you found someone to satisfy your interests."

"It's more than that, Father." Fiyero said softly.

"I don't understand what you mean."

His mother sat in silence, quietly watching the two men speak. She was clearly interested in the conversation, though he did not know why.

"I don't want to marry Sarima." He didn't know how to continue talking around it.

"We made an agreement with her family more than eight years ago, Son." His father spoke as though there was no emotion involved, as though it was a simple concept. "You're welcome to do what you want before and after your marriage. You know that."

"I don't _want_ to marry Sarima. I… I love someone else, Father. Can't you understand that?" He hadn't quite said he loved her, at least not while she was listening. But he knew he did.

"She can come out here and be your mistress, if that's what you want. But you need to go through with the bargain we made with the family, Son."

"She's not going to come out here just to be my mistress, Father! And I don't want her to. What I want is to marry her." Fiyero hadn't necessarily meant to say that. What he wanted was the option. He wasn't exactly sure she'd even want to marry him. But he wanted to know that maybe there was a chance for them beyond the temporary.

His father put his head in his hands, clearly exasperated. "And what do you suppose we do about our little agreement with Sarima's family?"

"Maybe you should've considered my feelings before making the agreement in the first place."

His father slammed his fist down on the table. "Fiyero, that is not what this is about and you know it. This is a tradition. And Sarima's family is the most powerful family in the tribe outside of ours. We need that marriage. How do you expect to fix that?"

"I… I need to think about that. I'll come up with something." Sometimes he cursed the very things that made him royalty.

"And what do you think your precious schoolgirl will think of this place? Of our traditions and our values and beliefs? They call us pagans, you know."

"She cares nothing about religion, Father." He shrugged.

"And she won't mind the maids and kitchen girls coming and going from your room when she turns you away? She won't care that the men wear no shirts and women wear small robes?"

"I don't think she'll be turning me away much, Father, so I doubt there will be problems there. And I don't think she cares about how people dress or what skin is shown. She's not your traditional girl."

His father sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Son. We made a deal."

"And if I can find something satisfactory to fix that, Father?"

"Good luck." With that, he was dismissed from the table.

Fiyero went to the library and dug up books on traditions and marriage, digging in hopes that he could find something, anything. After that, he decided he was going to break the rules. He wasn't supposed to see Sarima again. He had seen her once when she was eight. The rule was that he wasn't to see her again until the day of their wedding.

Her mother almost fainted when she opened the door. "Prince Fiyero, what are you doing here?"

"May I speak with Sarima, please?" He ignored her question. "It's important."

The woman merely pointed to a room down the hall, at a loss for words.

He knocked on the door and opened it when a voice called out that he could enter. As he stepped in, two pairs of eyes looked up at him. Sarima sat on the floor, braiding the hair of her younger sister. Both of their jaws dropped upon seeing him. "I thought we could talk," he said simply.

Sarima shooed her sister from the room and the younger girl fled like the house was on fire, slamming the door behind her. "What do you wish to speak to me about?"

He gave her credit for her composure. She remained prim and calm despite the fact that his behavior was unprecedented and unconventional. Fiyero almost laughed, wondering how Elphaba would've reacted had she been in the same situation. "I was hoping we could have an honest conversation. I do not want you to lie and tell me what you think I want to hear. I want the truth. I'm going to ask you a simple question. Do you really want to marry me?"

Shock registered in her eyes, but she continued to sit still as ever. "That's a strange question. You're the prince. Of course I do."

"But you don't know me at all."

"So?"

She had been groomed to marry him from the day she was born, he realized. It was all she knew. How was he even going to explain this? "Outside of the Vinkus, people have courtships. They get to know each other. And then they decide, mutually, if they want to get married. They get to choose. What if you had that choice?"

"Our parents…"

"Forget our parents, Sarima! Let me explain something to you. You seem like a perfectly nice girl. But you understand that if we marry, I will never love you? And you will likely never love me. Because we don't know each other now. The chances of two random people who are thrown together actually coming loving each other are slim."

She studied him silently for a moment, violet eyes tracing his face. "But you love someone," Sarima observed.

"I do," he admitted.

"And you don't want to marry me."

"I don't."

She seemed to take that well enough. "Then what do you intend to do?"

"First I wanted to know how you felt about this whole arrangement."

"And if I still want to get married?"

He paused. "I don't know. Is that how you feel?"

She folded her arms across her chest and looked at him. "I wouldn't mind being royalty. However, I do see what you are saying. But what good does that do?"

"There's a statute that, if both of the young people involved do not wish to marry, they may plead their case to the tribe elders. I was hoping you'd join me in that." He looked at her. "I realize that you don't understand the concept of romantic love very well at this moment."

"I do," she said, surprising him. "I've never experienced it, but I have seen it, heard it. The fables my grandmother told me, and some of my friends have been in relationships. I think you forget that for those who _aren't_ nobility or royalty, the choice is theirs. I see it all around me."

"And is it something you want someday?" He touched her shoulder. "Because I have it. I want to keep it."

She bit her lip. "At this point, Prince Fiyero, I am mostly indifferent. I do understand the want of love, and I realize we cannot have that. But marrying a prince has been my whole life."

"I know that. If I had realized that I would fall in love…" He thought about Elphaba, about the way she looked at him, the way she spoke. One moment with her had turned his entire life upside down and he couldn't let her go. "This woman… I can't explain this. I wish I could. It's like…"

"I will. I'll plead with you," Sarima said suddenly.

"You will?"

"I may not care too much one way or the other, but I also see the way you talk about love and I don't feel right stopping that."

"Thank you!" He wrapped her in a huge hug.

She stiffened. "So… how do we do this?"

"I can request counsel with the elders this afternoon if you'll join me."

"What are our parents going to say?"

"We'll deal with that when we come to it."


	14. Chapter 14

They stood in front of all men, four of them. No women were on the council of elders. There had been women, but as of late none had been inducted and the last few had passed on. He worried. Would a group of older men understand his predicament?

"What is it you wish to talk to us about, Prince Fiyero?" The old man spoke slowly, clasping his walking stick beside his chair.

"Sir, I'm sure you're aware that, at a very young age, Sarima and I were pledged to marry." He gestured to Sarima, who stood silent beside him. "We wish to… pursue other options. I understand that the only way to dissolve that pledge is to come to you."  
"And why should we oblige this request?" Another man stood, sunspots covering his forehead.

"Because we don't love each other, Sir," Sarima said.

"Love." The first old man repeated. "What a concept."

"While I've been away at school, I've fallen in love with a young woman from Munchkinland. I know she feels similarly towards me, but because of my situation, there's not much we can do about it."

"And you realize that if you marry this young woman you speak up, she would be the first queen from another land?" Another old man spoke up.

"Perhaps that could be beneficial," Fiyero realized. He would definitely bring that up with his father. Though she didn't speak of it much, Elphaba was the Thropp Third Descending. That could make a big difference.

"Sarima, you have said nothing of your feelings in this matter other than the fact that you do not love Prince Fiyero."

"I… I am not in the same situation as he. But I want the chance to have my own love, and I realize that I'll never have it with him. Please, help us." Her voice broke and surprised Fiyero. Not an hour ago she'd been telling him that she didn't care one way or the other.

The men looked at each other. "Very well. Leave us while we discuss, please."

As they stood outside, he turned to her. "What was that about?"

She had recovered and was standing primly against the wall. "It's called acting. Since I was young I found that if I used the tear factor, especially me the future queen, no one resists me. Got me out of a lot of trouble."

He laughed. She was a clever one. A little too manipulative, and he couldn't read her. Fiyero did not want to marry someone who was that good at lying. But he was grateful for her now. "Thank you, I suppose."

"You're very welcome." She answered. Everything she did was proper. He didn't like it.

They stood in silence as they waited for the old men to beckon them back inside. Fiyero paced anxiously until they were told, after two hours, that their presence was requested again.

"Prince Fiyero, Lady Sarima, you have pleaded a very interesting case. It has been many years since something like this has been brought to us. And none of us can remember a time when love was the reason. It is somewhat unprecedented.

"That being said, it took us longer than usual to decide what to do. We voted on it, and no matter what we said or did, it was evenly divided. The problem mainly came from not wanting to anger the King. We hope, Prince Fiyero, that when you take his place, you remember this. According to ritual, when this happens and we reach an impasse, we go with the plea. So we decree that the agreement your parents made is null and void."

Fiyero felt relief sweep his body and pulled Sarima into another hug that she was clearly not comfortable with. "Thank you."

She looked at him and shook her head, "I hope this works out for you. If it doesn't, you know where to find me." With that, she walked away.

He stepped outside and took a deep breathe, unaware of what to do now. His parents would be sent for, as would hers. Fiyero was not to be there when the elders told them of their discussions. He was certain his father would not be pleased.

That evening he was called into his father's office. "You went behind my back."

"You gave me permission," he responded evenly.

"I would've liked to know what your plan was." His father stood from behind his desk. "But what's done is done. I do need to know how you expect to marry this foreign woman and still lead this tribe."

"Well, Father, I suppose I should tell you a little more about her. Her name is Elphaba. She's from Munchkinland, though she doesn't look it. She has a… skin condition that makes her skin green. And she's also the Thropp Third Descending. That means she's in line to become Eminent Thropp."

His father took pause at that. "I see."

"And I love her."

"Eminent Thropp, you said?"

"Yes." He didn't mention that Elphaba wasn't necessarily in love with the idea. The few times they had spoken about it, she'd made it clear it wasn't something she wanted.

"I suppose we could spin that to the tribe. A marriage to unite the East and the West. We do, of course, need to meet her."

He swallowed hard. "Father, there's a small problem with that. I haven't exactly asked her to marry me. Or told her that I was doing anything about this. It might come as a bit of a shock." She was going to kill him.

"There's no rush. Invite her for summer holidays. You can tell her you just want to spend time with her. We won't tell her. You do understand you need to be married before you can take the throne."

"I do."

"And what happens if, for whatever reason, this little relationship doesn't work out?"

"Then you may choose whatever bride you want for me." That was a big commitment. If this didn't work, his father could end up choosing someone much worse than Sarima. But he was willing to do whatever it took.

His father raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "I hope you don't come to regret that."

"So do I."

Now he just needed to figure out when to ask Elphaba to return home with him. And how to tell her what he had done. He would be staying at Shiz for the spring holidays, as would she. Perhaps it was time he finally gave her that long weekend he'd been talking about.


	15. Chapter 15

"Are you still being careful?" Nanny asked her when Elphaba informed the old woman she was going to be going on a "small trip to the countryside" with Fiyero during the spring holidays. Despite the fact that Nanny knew about her behavior, she didn't want to tell the woman they were going to basically lock themselves in a hotel room to make love for days.

"Yes, Nanny. I'm still taking that potion once a month." She'd found it in a potions book. There had been whispers about such a potion. Nanny had even commented once that perhaps her mother should've used it. Finding it had not been difficult.

"And where shall I tell Nessa that you are?"

"Tell her I've come down with the flu and that we don't want her to catch it from me. I'll tell Galinda in case she asks." Elphaba shrugged. "She knows."

"She'd have to. It's a little hard to sneak around like that when you have a roommate."

"I'm not sneaking around, Nanny. We're just seeing each other. This… it isn't like before."

"That I can tell."

She wasn't sure what that meant and she didn't ask. Instead, she bid the woman farewell, returned to her room to get her bag (though she wasn't bringing much) and met Fiyero at The Shiz. As she entered the room, she looked around. "Wow, this room is bigger than the dorms."

"What did you expect? It's their nicest room." He smiled at her as he came in from the small balcony. "Only the best for my sweet Fae."

"Don't say that," she shuddered. Sometimes his kindness could be off-putting, especially when she remembered their particular situation. Elphaba ran her fingers along the silken bedspread. The thread practically melted beneath her hands, it was so soft. "I can't believe I finally let you talk me into this."

"I promise you won't regret it." He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Oh, I think I might. I get the feeling I'm going to be extremely sore by the time we leave here." Elphaba grinned and hopped on the bed. She put up a hand when he moved to join her. "Wait. Tell me what you're going to do to me."

He raised his eyebrows. "This is going to take a long time to describe, because there are a lot of things I intend to do."

"Then pull up a chair." She smiled wickedly. "I want you to tell me in detail. After all, we have plenty of time, don't we?"

He grabbed a chair and pulled it as close to the bed as he could, touching her hand. "I think the time will go by too quickly."

"I suppose it will. So you'd better get started." She withdrew her hand and lay back on the bed, licking her lips. "I don't want to wait forever, you know."

"Well, first I'm going to kiss you, maybe bite your lip just a little, since I know you like that. Then I'm going to, very slowly, remove your blouse, kissing each piece of you as I unwrap it. Once it's removed, I'll begin on your skirt, doing the same until I reach that sweet spot between your legs. I think I'll take a little extra time there, exploring it just a little more. I want to make you cry out just a little. And once I've gotten that, we can take off my clothes together. At that point, you'll be begging for me to take you."

"I don't beg," she challenged.

"Oh, you will."

"You're going to make me?" She teased.

"Yes. And when you do, I'm going to make love to you for hours. I'm going to make you moan, not just those little moans you do when you're trying to keep quiet in my room, but you're going to really moan. There's a reason this room is on the end of the hotel. No one can hear us."

She felt heat in her belly, tempting her to invite him onto the bed, but she resisted. "Tell me more."

I'm going to tie you up," at that, he grabbed some elegant scarves out of his bag. "I'll tie your arms to the bedpost and tie your legs as far apart as possible. I'm going to pound you, hard and fast. You won't just moan, my Fae, you will scream with pleasure."

"You're going to tear me apart?"

"Is that what you want? Tell me what you want."

"Mm, I want every inch of you diving into me, ripping me apart, tearing me open. I want to be raw from all the ways you've had me. I want it rough. I want you to push so hard it hurts just a little. I want you to hold me so tight you draw blood. I want to not even be able to walk when you're done with me."

"I think I can do that," his voice was anxious, eager.

She tapped the bed beside her. "Then do it."

He was next to her so fast she hadn't even blinked. "Sweet Oz, Fae, you tease me."

"I think you liked it," she felt his mouth on hers and opened herself to him. His kisses were heavy and deep. When he drew back, he began to undo the first button on her blouse, pressing his lips against her neck, then her collar, then her chest as he slowly undid each button. She wiggled out of the blouse when he finished agonizing minutes later. She felt his hands at her waist as he pulled her skirt off and tossed it to the floor and reaching for her panties.

"It seems as though you're ready for me already, my sweet Fae," he whispered at the dampness between her legs.

"I'm prepared."

"Are you going to beg yet?"

"No."

He shoved her legs apart. "We'll get there." His hot breath touched her thighs and she tried not to squirm. As he made his way towards her center, she bit her lip with anticipation. His tongue flicked softly at first, and then he brought his whole mouth down onto her. She gasped with pleasure as he placed one finger inside her, pulling back and forth slowly. Elphaba felt her hips press against him urgently as he consumed her.

"I'm going to take my time, Fae. I told you. At least until you beg." He traced the small mound of flesh with his tongue ever so lightly as he stroked inside of her with his fingers. She felt each small movement as though her whole body were being touched.

"Oh, Yero, that feels…" She wanted him so badly, her body ached for him. Elphaba could feel release coming, but he kept pulling back just slightly each time it got close.

"What do you want?"

"I want you." Her body hummed, waiting for him. She spread her legs open further.

"How badly?" He looked at her, waiting.

"Very badly."

"Tell me. Beg me."

"Please, Fiyero," she gave in, feeling drugged with his kisses. "Please take me. Now."

"I can't resist that plea," he murmured as he reached for the scarves the bedside table. "You're fine with me tying you up?"

She held her hands out. "Go ahead. Have your way with me. Please."

He tied her hands to the headboard and her legs apart, devouring her with his eyes as he did. "I'm going to make you scream."

She tossed her head back. "I look forward to it."

He entered her and she felt her body stretch to fit him. "I love your body, Fae," he said as he began to thrust into her. "Every part of your body. Your skin is so soft and I love the way it warms as I touch it." He took her breast into his hands as he pressed against her again and again. "And I love the way your body responds when I enter you, so tight, so wet."

She closed her eyes, feeling him tear into her. "I don't know so much that my body is tight, my dear, as it is that you make it a tight fit. The first time at the Philosophy Club hurt for a few minutes. I didn't want to say anything. But I liked it. No one has ever quite… filled me this way."

He bit into her neck and she moaned. As he plunged into her depths, he murmured, "Perhaps, sweet Fae, it's a little of both."

She drew her hips up to meet him, panting at the effort, barely able to keep up with him as he continued to drive himself into her, the thrill mounting within her until she could contain it no more and she cried out softly. He plundered into her depths over and over.

"You don't need to be quiet, you know. I told you I wanted to make you scream."

Oh, and how she screamed.


	16. Chapter 16

Sweat had begun to dry on her body and he was slowly kissing it away. Elphaba was still delirious, smiling to herself. "I suppose I am glad that you talked me into this."

"We still have three more days and nights after tonight," he told her.

She pressed a finger against one of the many diamonds on chest. "We've never spent that much time together at once. I really won't be able to walk when we're done, will I?"

"I'll carry you back to your dorm." Fiyero teased.

"I would never let you."

"Speaking of spending a lot of time together," he began, hesitation in his voice.

She sat up slowly. "Are you getting at something?"

"I was thinking that perhaps you could come to the Vinkus this summer."

Elphaba laughed. "Right. I'm sure that would go over well with your family."

"Actually…" He bit his lip and looked at his hands.

This time she sat all the way up, looking into his eyes. "What did you do?"

"I went to the Council of Elders."

"What does that mean?" Elphaba folded her arms across her chest.

"Maybe we should talk about this later." Fiyero made to reach for her, to kiss her.

"Explain." She wouldn't have it.

He sat up as well and took her hands, rubbing his fingers against her thumbs. "Elphaba, what I did I did because I wanted a chance for us."

"I think you should just tell me everything and stop talking in code, Fiyero, or I'll be even more frustrated with you."

"I need to say one more thing first, Fae." He squeezed her hands gently. "Please don't get upset when I say it, though. I need to. I don't care what you say back."

She understood what was coming. Elphaba felt the need to flee, suddenly, but willed herself to stay. "Say whatever you need to say, Fiyero."

"I love you," he blurted quickly. "I don't want to know this has to end in a little over a year. I want us to have a chance to be together for as long as we want."

She swallowed hard. Those words, no one in her family had ever said them to her. Not even Nanny or Nessa. It was the first time she'd heard them directed at her. They sounded foreign, exotic. It was as they were in a language she did not understand, but one she wanted to learn. "Fiyero, I don't know what to say."

"I can understand that and that is perfectly fine. I didn't expect anything when I said it."

"It's not that I don't…" She tried to explain. "I literally don't know how to respond to that. No one has loved me. I guess that's why I started sleeping with boys I barely knew back home. I wanted something. What we have is the closest thing to it, probably better than what I wanted, Fiyero. I could never have imagined this with you. I didn't think I'd ever have something this good."

He smiled at her. "That makes me happy to hear, Elphaba."

"So what did you do, Fiyero?" Her calm surprised her. The need to run had abated and she felt peaceful, safe.

"I told my parents about us. I told them that I loved you. They said there was nothing they could do, that they'd made an agreement. So I did some research. It turns out that if two young people do not want to enter into an arranged marriage of their parents' design, they may discuss their problem with the Council of Elders. I went to talk to Sarima."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "What was she like?"

"Clever. Manipulative. Proper. She's not like you at all. That marriage would be a trap. But she wasn't a bad ally to have in this case and when I told her the problem, she became sympathetic and she came with me to talk to the Elders. I think she lied and manipulated them, but I'm not complaining. They found they disagreed and could not come to a ruling. In that case, the ruling goes to the side of the original plea."

She nodded. "They canceled your arrangement? Just like that?"

"Pretty much. My father was angry, of course. He said we needed the power that Sarima's family holds. But then I mentioned that _you_ are Thropp Third Descending."

She shook her head. "You know I hate that, Fiyero."

"I had to. That seemed to sway him a bit. He demanded I bring you home for the summer before he would approve."

"I need to think about this," she told him.

"That's acceptable."

"Fiyero, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to tell me not to. I was going to do it no matter what you thought. And if I did tell you, would you have been worrying about it all during the holidays?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "You know, the two of us all summer? We had a hard enough time keeping our hands off one another when we weren't even in a relationship."

"You forget, Elphaba, that in the Vinkus these things are acceptable. We aren't as prudish as the rest of Oz. It's probably expected, to be honest. My father knows that we've been intimate. The first thing I said was that I'd been seeing someone, and his immediate thought was that it was simply a physical relationship."

She wasn't sure how she felt about that. "I see. Fiyero, you're not asking me to…?"

"No. I just want the chance to do that one day if I choose."

"Fair enough."

"How mad are you?" He asked sheepishly.

"Not very," she admitted. "You did what you felt was necessary. I wish you'd told me. I don't think I would've told you not to, but we'll never know. I realize why you didn't tell me, though. Fiyero, I'm not sure I ever want to get married. What happens, then?"

He looked hurt, and she didn't know what to say to fix that, so she waited for him to answer. "Sarima made it pretty clear that she wouldn't mind being a queen if I changed my mind."

"I didn't mean… Fiyero, look, this isn't what I planned. You need to understand that. I adore you, I do. But I'd always planned… the truth is I don't know exactly what I planned between being Thropp Third Descending and wanting to go into sorcery or life sciences, but marriage was never a part of that. It's an idea that maybe I need to get used to. I'm not the marrying kind, Fiyero."

"I'm not asking you to be, Fae. I love you the way you are. And if the time comes that we discuss marriage, then we'll figure it out. I don't expect you to change."

"I appreciate that." Her thoughts were racing and she shook her head. "Well, I suppose I have a lot to think about, my sweet."

"Do you want to cut this short?"

"Not at all." Elphaba laughed. "I've enjoyed myself far too much to do that."

"Good because I had a lot of plans for you." Fiyero laid himself back in the bed.

"You going to tell me about those plans?" She grinned.

"As soon as we've had a little rest."

She rested beside him and placed her head against his chest, listening to the soothing sound of his breath, of his heartbeat. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now, anyway."


	17. Chapter 17

By the end of their little rendezvous, Elphaba found herself satisfied but extremely exhausted. The last thing she needed upon returning to her room was an interrogation. Galinda didn't seem to be sympathetic to that, of course.

"You look a bit frazzled," the blonde teased as Elphaba ambled over to her bed and collapsed. "You can't even walk straight."

"I didn't get a lot of sleep," she muttered. "I would like to rest."

"Did Fiyero take good care of you, though? Tell me you at least had something to eat."

The food had been absolutely splendid, brought to their room each meal by the hotel staff. She supposed she'd indulged herself a bit too much, on multiple levels. "Of course. He took good care of me. He always does."

"How are things between the two of you?"

"Confusing." Elphaba cursed herself the minute the word came out of her mouth. The girl would want an explanation for that.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just… our situation."

"You seemed to have gotten over that, Elphaba."

"He decided to make some changes to that," she muttered. "And I know you're going to keep asking. When he went home for the holidays, Fiyero did some things I'm not certain I'm pleased with."

"What do you mean? Like he slept with someone else?" Her roommate's voice was horrified. "I can't believe him. Do you want me to cast a spell on him for you? I can curse him!"

"No! Nothing like that. He… he convinced his family to let him out of his arranged marriage."

"And you're upset about that?" Galinda bounced in her bed. "That's wonderful news!"

"I don't want to get married. I had resigned myself to the idea that there was no future for us and now there might be and I'm not sure I want one."

"Not sure you want one? Elphaba, he's perfect for you. Until this year, I hadn't seen you genuinely happy. And the way he looks at you, Elphie, is something I would kill for. He loves you, I mean he really loves you. How can you not want that?"

She paused. Galinda, as was usual lately, was right. Like she'd told Fiyero, she hadn't had definite plans for the future past graduating other than the plans her family had for her, ones she didn't want. But being a wife? Having children? "Can you imagine me married? Having babies?"

"Not exactly. But I see you with him and I know you're happy. That should be enough."

Was it? She had thought about her future once or twice, actually. Maybe she'd go off and join the Rebels, the Resistance. She had nothing keeping her tethered. At least, she hadn't then. Now… "Maybe it is."

"Did he ask you to marry him?" Galinda's voice was barely a squeal.

"No! He knows better. He just wanted the option to ask me one day if he should choose. And… he wants me to go back to the Vinkus with him over the summer to meet his family."

"So he's serious about this. That's adorable! You're going to go, right?"

"And tell my father what?"

"That your beau wants you to meet his family. What's wrong with that?"

"Beau?" Elphaba cackled. "Please. My father would never believe that."

"But it's true. And Nanny's met Fiyero. So has Nessa."

"You have a point, there."

"So then you should go. Besides, maybe meeting his family and seeing where he's from will help you decide if you really do want to continue this relationship with him."

"When did you become so damned smart?" Elphaba wondered.

Galinda did not seem to like that and attempted to give her roommate the silent treatment for the rest of the evening.

She wasn't alone again with Fiyero for more than week later - she had told him she'd need time to recover. When she finally snuck over to his room late one Friday after class, his face lit up as he answered the door.

"I've missed you. I don't like not having you in any of my classes," he told her as he wrapped her in his arms. "Maybe I should've taken the next level of Life Sciences, too."

"Not with Dr. Nikidik teaching it. I'm learning absolutely nothing. There's no reason to take that class. If it weren't required to continue on in my path of study, I wouldn't bother."

"Is he at least talking louder?"

"What do you think?" She rolled her eyes and sat on his bed. "Is Crope with Tibbett tonight?"

"He actually told me he might come back early tonight. I think they might be fighting." Fiyero shrugged as he sat beside her. "You can still stay, though. We just won't do anything too physical. I don't think Crope would be shocked to see you sleeping in my bed, love."

She nodded. "Probably not. I was thinking we should talk a little bit more about what you asked me."

"About the summer?"

"Yes. I have thought about it this week." More like Galinda had thought about it for her, but that was beside the point. "I would be happy to join you in the Vinkus this summer."

He hugged her. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Will we… um…"

He raised one eyebrow in concern. "What?"

"Will we sleep in the same room?"

"I don't think my family will care one way or the other. Why?"

"I still like my privacy. And I don't get any, not at Shiz and not at home."

"So you're asking to _not_ stay in my room?" He seemed slightly bothered at that question.

"Well, I'm asking if I could still have some time to myself." Elphaba bit her lip. "That doesn't mean I don't want to share a room." The thought of lying beside him in bed not just one or two nights a week but every night was tempting. There was a peacefulness about sleeping in his arms that she didn't have when she slept alone. She slept more soundly next to him than she did in her own bed.

He slid a hand onto her knee and squeezed. "As much time as you need. I'm just happy that you're coming home with me. I love you, Elphaba."

She smiled at him and leaned against his shoulder. "I… I love you, too, I think."

"You think?" He laughed a little at that.

"Give me a break, here, Fiyero. I don't know what I'm doing."

"I know. I'm teasing, sweet Fae."

"Can we just go to sleep now?" She had come only to tell him that she was going with him, and she was tired. Thinking about sleeping next to him made her want to, suddenly, and nothing more.

"Whatever you want." He took his shirt off and relaxed on the bed.

She kept a nightgown in one of his drawers that she grabbed. Elphaba didn't like to sleep naked in his dorm, not with the risk of Crope coming in.

And he did, drunk, two hours later. He woke them as he hummed and lit the room. "Why hello, Fiyero and Elphaba!" He said upon seeing them.

She grimaced at the light. "Do you mind, Crope?"

"I didn't know you slept in here. You should be more careful, Elphaba, people might think you're doing more than that." Crope's words were slightly slurred and elongated as he spoke.

"What if we are? It's no one's business. What are you doing coming in like this at this time of night, anyway?"

"I went out. I was upset so I went somewhere and had some drinks and stuff."

Fiyero shifted beside her. "Where did you go?"

"The Philosophy Club."

At that, Fiyero and Elphaba exchanged glances. "You went _where_? Are you crazy?" Elphaba demanded.

"I was angry at Tibbett and I wanted to…"

"To get back at him? By going to a sex club? What kind of idiot goes to that place, Crope?" Elphaba felt Fiyero looking at her as she said it but she waved him away. What they had done had been… different.

"I didn't do anything. I watched some sort of show and then I got scared."

"Good! Don't do that again, you crazy bastard."

"Believe me, I won't. The things I saw, Elphaba, I… ugh!" Crope flopped into bed and darkened the room again.

Elphaba snuggled against Fiyero again and closed her eyes.

"What was that about?" He whispered.

"I'm just concerned for him. I can hold my own, I don't think he can," she murmured. "Besides, our situation is special. I don't necessarily think it's what normally happens."

"I should think not. But I'm glad it did."

She kissed his cheek. "So am I."


	18. Chapter 18

She had very little protest from Nanny when she asked (well, more like informed) her about going to the Vinkus for the summer. The old woman had simply shrugged and said she'd just inform her father about it when she arrived home. Elphaba couldn't imagine that would be the best idea, but she also didn't particularly care. Nessa wanted to know why Fiyero wasn't going to meet their family, and Elphaba had barely been able to stifle her laughter as she left the room.

They took a large passenger train for two nights before they reached the Vinkus, giving Elphaba plenty of time to get anxious, though she wasn't prepared to admit it.

"You look a little pale," Fiyero said gently as they neared the station.

"I'm fine. You just kept me up a little late and I didn't get as much sleep as I would've liked." She wouldn't look him in the eye.

"You kept _me_ up," he corrected. "And I certainly wasn't complaining. Are you sure that you're feeling well?"

"I'm fine," she snapped, finishing putting her things into her bag again. As she did, her hands went to her braid and she felt for any stray strands of hair.

"You're nervous." Fiyero observed, taking her hand.

She tore her hand away. "I will be perfectly fine."

"I love you," was his only response.

When they arrived via carriage at the stone castle, Elphaba had steeled her nerves. The color had returned to her face. Fiyero's parents greeted them at the door.

His mother had clearly once been the most beautiful woman in the area, and she still retained most of her beauty even with the wrinkles and age spots on her hands. Her smile was warm and inviting and she took Elphaba's hand in hers for just a moment, clutching it. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Elphaba."

His father stood sternly, arms folded across his chest. Slowly, he looked Elphaba over, his mouth a thin line. "So this is the woman you decided to turn tradition upside-down for."

Fiyero cleared his throat. "Father."

Elphaba could feel the tension between the two men, and became uncomfortable knowing that she was responsible for at least some of it. She began to wonder if Fiyero's father would ever even accept her, and then she began to wonder why she cared. Carefully, she curtseyed (something she hadn't done in a very long time). "It is an honor to meet both of you, Your Highnesses."

His father's eyes flickered with disapproval. "We don't bow or curtsey here."

"I meant to tell you that," Fiyero grumbled, still glaring at his father. "May we settle in? Elphaba will be staying in my room."

"Go on," Fiyero's father pointed towards the stairs. "I assume you can unpack yourselves? Dinner is in an hour."

When Fiyero shut his bedroom door behind them, she said, "You didn't tell me just how angry your father was about what you did, Fiyero."

"I didn't think he was as angry as he is acting, to be honest. I think he may be trying to teach me a lesson, make sure I really know what I've gotten myself into, that the choices I made have consequences, I guess." He shrugged and drew her to him. "I don't care if he's angry, though. I love you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I just worry that maybe this wasn't the best idea, me coming out here."

"He'll understand, eventually." He let go of her. "You should unpack, though. I have a feeling dinner is going to be long tonight. You might want to prepare yourself for that. I'm sure my parents will have a lot of questions for you."

"Oh, great." Elphaba looked around his room. His bed was king-sized, around the size of the bed they'd slept in at the hotel. He had bookshelves all around the room, a small couch in one corner. There were multiple closets and two dressers.

"You can put your things in the closet over there. I don't use both of them. I suppose this room was meant for when I'm married, as well."

She flushed at the mention of married and put her things away. "Your mother seemed pleasant enough."

"It's funny, you know, she never said a word during the entire discussion with my father about Sarima and you and my marriage. She just sat there with this… look on her face, almost a smile, but not quite. I don't know what was going on."

"Perhaps she had a lover before she was arranged to marry your father. Perhaps she wishes she'd been allowed to be with him," Elphaba speculated.

"My mother? No!"

"She was our age once, too, you know. She's a person, just like we are, whether or not she's your mother. Even mothers have weaknesses and flaws, you know. I know my mother did."

"You never talk about her."

"My mother? I don't. I don't talk about my family much at all if I can help it. Things back home weren't exactly perfect, Fiyero."

"What happened to her?"

"She died giving birth to my brother. I was about ten. It's not like I miss her much. Even when she was alive, she was so drugged up or consumed in her affairs that she never paid much attention to me. Nanny raised me, and she would've even if my mother had lived."

"Oh."

She could tell he wasn't sure what to say. "It's not sad or anything, Fiyero. It's just life." Elphaba closed her bag and shut the door to the closet behind her. "I don't have much to unpack, you know."

"You travel light, huh?"

"I live light, Fiyero. Despite being Eminent Thropp, my family is in no way wealthy. My father keeps trying to change that."

"You'll never want for anything when you're with me," he promised.

"Don't be like that," she replied. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry. I just… I want to give you everything. I want to make you happy."

"You do make me happy," she said, kissing him. "You don't need to give me anything to do that, you know."

He wrapped her in his arms. "What if I want to?"

She shook her head. "You are too much for me some days."

"In more ways than one?" He asked suggestively.

"Always." Elphaba laughed. "I've told you that before."

"I know it may not be under the best circumstances, but I've got you in my bed for the next few months or so and I intend to take full advantage of that." He pressed his lips against her neck.

She squirmed a little. "It just feels… wrong here."

"I know," he sighed. "But this is home."

"Fiyero, have you done this with other girls on that bed?" The moment the question came out she regretted it. That sounded jealous. She wasn't, was she?

"No. Not in here. Why are you asking that?" He was smirking just a little.

"Just curious."

"Always curious, aren't you? It isn't because you're jealous?"

"Why would I be? I didn't know you then. You didn't know me." Elphaba refused to meet his eyes.

"That does bring up a subject I suppose we should discuss, the topic of monogamy." Fiyero sat down on the bed and patted the quilt beside him.

She dragged herself over. "You'd think we'd have discussed this by now."

"Since this started, Fae, I haven't…"

"Neither have I. I get more than what I need from you."

"Good. That's how I feel as well."

"So is the topic finished, then?"

"Just a moment. The future, Fae? Should we discuss if we want to continue being monogamous?"

She wasn't particularly looking forward to that, mostly because she feared he wouldn't want to when she did. It had been a topic she had actively avoided, answers she didn't want to know. "Whatever you want to do."

"I'll be happy if I only have you the rest of my life," he said quietly.

Elphaba didn't want to tell him how much it warmed her to hear that. "I don't suppose that's the traditional way around here, is it?"

"It isn't. But you aren't the traditional woman. And I'm not traditional, either. I want you, Fae, and only you. Do you feel the same?"

"I do."

His hand slid over hers. "Good. So until whenever this ends, just you and me."


	19. Chapter 19

Elphaba had put on her best dress for dinner, though she knew it didn't make much difference. Her dresses all looked mostly the same, this one was just made with a slightly nicer fabric and had barely been worn since she rarely had occasion to wear it. And she wore her hair down, something she never did. Fiyero had always run his hands through her hair, told her how beautiful it looked across her shoulders. He always insisted on taking her hair down when he undressed her. Galinda, too, had made comments in the morning when they got ready for classes telling Elphaba to simply leave her hair be, but she never took the girl's advice, at least not until tonight. If Galinda could see her now, she laughed to herself.

"You ready, Fae?" Fiyero stuck his head into the bathroom. "You've been in here longer than you usually spend getting ready…"

"Yes." She turned towards him nervously.

"You're finally wearing your hair down?" He walked towards her and brushed a strand behind her ear. "It looks lovely, you know. It's so soft."

She didn't mention that she'd run the brush through it what must've been thousands of times. "I thought I'd try it. You and Galinda are always on about it."

"We're wanted downstairs. I'll try to field the questions they're going to ask you, but be ready for uncomfortable questions. I'm sorry."

"I can handle it." Elphaba sounded more confident than she was, which was usually how she got by. Hopefully that would be enough this time.

The first question came as they began on their first course: salad. Fiyero's father looked at her with the same disapproving gaze he'd had since she'd walked in and asked, "Tell us a little bit about your background, _Miss_ Elphaba."

Swallowing a bite of lettuce, Elphaba thought carefully as to how to word her answers. "My great grandfather is the current Eminent Thropp, a title which I suppose I inherit upon his death, being the oldest child of my mother's line. I've actually never met the man."

"So the eminence is passed down through your mother's line?"

"Yes."

"What of your father?"

"My father is a Unionist Minister."

That seemed to surprise Fiyero's father. He paused for a moment. "That's uh… what I mean to say is that you finding yourself in my son's bed is interesting behavior for a minister's daughter."

"Father!" Fiyero sounded upset.

"It's fine, Fiyero." Elphaba waved him away. "I don't share my father's views. My sister is the only one who does. I don't think my mother even shared my father's views, to tell the truth."

"Shared? So your mother is not of this world?"

"She passed giving birth to my brother, Shell, the third child in our family." Elphaba shrugged.

"I see."

"So how did you two meet?" Fiyero's mother was trying to ease the tension, unaware of the murky waters she had just stepped into by asking such a question.

Fiyero stepped in to answer that question first, as she knew he would. They had discussed this question, because they knew it would undoubtedly come up during this meal. Despite Fiyero wanting to protect her dignity by lying, Elphaba had insisted he tell the truth. Starting a relationship with his parents with a lie would do no good. Besides, he'd said that things like that were not frowned upon in Vinkun society. But he still seemed to struggle to say it. "Well, we, uh…"

"Oh, Fiyero, stop beating around the bush. We met at a sort of sex club. It was supposed to be a one-time thing and then he ended up in some of my classes and things developed from there." Elphaba had never had trouble being blunt. In fact, she enjoyed it. Telling the truth simply was easy, not laced with the social niceties and white lies that were required in normal interaction.

His mother coughed and his father cleared his throat, ready to ask another question. "So that would imply that Fiyero was not your first, um, partner?"

"That would be correct. I wasn't aware that was a problem."

"It isn't." There was a strange look exchanged between Fiyero's parents that she chose to ignore.

"Can we please stop discussing our sex life?" Fiyero asked.

"One more question and we can move on," his father said simply. "What is it that's so special about you that makes him want to throw everything away? What can you do in the bedroom that other women can't? Some sort of sorcery?"

"Father! It's not about that. Yes, we enjoy one another's company physically. A lot. But I love her, and for reasons other than that." Fiyero was clearly straining to keep his composure.

The tension had that table had grown so heavy Elphaba could barely breathe. "I don't believe, Sir, that I do anything altogether different from other women, but I wouldn't know, since I haven't been with any women." She heard Fiyero spit out his food at that. "If you want to know what's different about me, perhaps that's a question for your son."

Fiyero let out a harsh laugh. Under the table, he slid a hand onto her knee. "I think Elphaba has a point."

"So then why don't you tell me?" His father challenged.

He looked at her before he answered. "I already did. I love her. That's it. That's enough. Yes, she's different, she's more passionate, and not just physically. But all you really need to know, Father, is that I love her."

"Fair enough," his father said, turning back to Elphaba. "What are you studying at Shiz?"

Fiyero visibly relaxed beside her, looking relieved.

"Right now I'm between political sciences and sorcery."

"Elphaba's actually a very talented witch." Fiyero said. "Though she doesn't use it for what you seem to think."

"It doesn't work like that, even if I did want to do something like that. It's merely object and energy manipulation. You can't manipulate another person. If that power existed, no one would be safe." Elphaba added.

"And what interests you about political sciences?"

"I don't think we know what's going on in the Emerald City. There used to be a certain level of transparency there, and now it's all secrets. No one has even seen the Wizard. I find that intriguing. I want to know what goes on behind those closed doors. I want to know how Oz has changed since the Ozma regents."

This certainly seemed to interest his father. "You seem to know a lot about politics and sorcery."

"She knows a lot about everything," Fiyero said proudly. "Elphaba's at the top of our class. Like I said, I love her for her mind, too."

"And do you love him?" His father did not back down.

Elphaba stopped. This was not a question either of them had anticipated. She glanced down the table at Fiyero, who had dropped her gaze and was looking pointedly at his food. She studied his mouth, the hopeful look in his eyes. "I do," she responded, "more than anything, I love him."


	20. Chapter 20

"That was by far the most _interesting_ dinner conversation I've ever been involved in," Elphaba said as they returned to his room late that evening.

Fiyero stayed standing in the doorway even as she entered the room. "What you said when my father asked if you loved me... You meant it?"

She turned to him as she changed into her nightclothes. "What do you think?"

"I don't know, Elphaba." His arms were folded across his chest.

Her heart sank a bit when he said that. "You honestly don't think I love you?" She shook her head. "I thought by now you would know me well enough, Fiyero."

He bit his lip. "This entire relationship, Fae, I've been two steps ahead of you. I wanted to be with you, you didn't want the same. I wanted to spend more time together, you weren't there yet. I wanted to change things, give us a future, you were afraid of it. I loved you, you couldn't say it back. Sometimes, Fae, it feels like I'm more invested in this than you are."

How could he say that? The only reason she drew back was because she was afraid she cared too much. Being vulnerable was not what she wanted, and he made her that way. While she loved the way he made her feel otherwise, the vulnerability was worrisome. "That's not the case, Fiyero."

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, but it was clear the conversation wasn't over. "And every time things start to get serious between us, I swear you to turn to sex to avoid it. I'm surprised you haven't started up with that yet tonight."

Now she was angry. "What are you trying to say? That I don't care? That it's still just about sex for me? Why am I here, then, Fiyero?"

"That's not what I was saying. I meant that you still aren't where I'm at."

She was seething. "I'm not? I came out here, Fiyero. I subjected myself to the most ridiculous questions at that dinner table. For you. Because I love you. You know I hate traveling, I hate meeting new people, but I did that. And you know I'm not proud of some of the things we've done, including how we met, but I sat there and told your family about it. What does that say to you, Fiyero? That I don't care? What do I have to do to prove it to you?"

"I don't know, Fae. I… I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have started this conversation."

"No, if you felt like I didn't care, I want to know that, Fiyero."

He walked towards her, finally, and took her hands. "Can we talk about things now, then? Without any distractions or avoidances?"

She nodded, looking into his eyes. They still seemed hurt, and she didn't like that.

"I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I want to marry you. I'm not asking you now, because I realize that it's a bit much. But that's how I feel. And I'm not ashamed of it."

"I love you, too. Fiyero, I am afraid. I feel like you make me weak, because of how strongly I feel. That's why I pull away, not because I don't care. I'm not ashamed of how I feel, either, but it does scare me. I've never put myself out there like this and you could hurt me so easily."

"But I wouldn't. Ever. Not if I can help it. Don't you understand that?" He squeezed her hand.

"I do. But sometimes you hurting me isn't in your control. Something or someone could take you away."

"Elphaba, that's ridiculous. You're worrying over something that doesn't exist."

"I realize that. And that's why I didn't tell you."

He smiled at her. "I'm sorry for what I said. I understand a little better. I guess we can feel the same but go about it differently."

"I think I've known that. You're pushy and I'm aloof. That's how it's always been. It never meant I didn't feel the same."

Fiyero wrapped her in his arms and brought her to the bed, laying her on it and climbing on beside her. "I think we'll be fine, my love. But this conversation, coupled with the conversation at dinner… I'm exhausted. So I'm going to go to sleep in this bed with you."

"Fiyero," she began as she got under the quilt - the Vinkus could be very cold at night, "when you said you loved me and I didn't say it back…"

"I'm sorry I brought that up."

"No, wait. I understand simple emotions. Happiness. Sadness. Anger. Pleasure. Fear. Jealousy. I never understood love, partly because I'd never truly felt it, not even with my family, and partly because it took me until I met you to realize it isn't just one emotion. It's happiness and sadness and pleasure and fear and jealousy and anger in this mix that overwhelms me. I didn't recognize it at first, but I did love you. I do love you."

"Even jealousy?" He teased.

"Yes, even jealousy. I didn't like the idea that some other girl had been in this bed before me," she admitted.

"Well no one has. We both have a past, Fae. If we hadn't, we wouldn't have met how we did. But you are my future. And you will be the only other person in this bed. Always. And don't think that I don't get jealous, too."

"Oh?"

"I realize you had some experience back home, but I don't like it when you go back. I have to wonder if any previous lovers will suddenly realize what they're missing and try to sweep you off your feet."

"Somehow I doubt that would happen," she laughed. "And they couldn't compare to you. Not physically and not emotionally. I could never feel this way about anyone else. I didn't think I could feel it at all until you."

"Was this our first fight?"

"Our first serious one, yes. I find that surprising, considering that I'm pretty caustic."

"I'm glad it's over."

"I'm sure it won't be the last."

"What do you mean?" He seemed offended by that.

"I just mean that couples fight, and if we are going to be together a while, then we will probably fight again." She rolled over and looked at him. "Fiyero, am I going to have more questions to answer to your parents?"

"Probably."

"They dug into my family history and asked about our sex life, what more is there?"

"My father will think of something." He shrugged. "Don't worry too much about it. You handled everything very well tonight, as far as I'm concerned. There are questions I wouldn't have even answered if I were you, Fae, but you were honest about everything."

"That's how I am. Get used to it."

"I am. It was just a comment, not necessarily a bad thing. I was just surprised, earlier, when you wanted to be honest about the Philosophy Club."

"You told me that it was acceptable out here to do the sorts of things I've done, the ones you've done. So why not be truthful about it? I dislike it when people hide things. The only reason people at Shiz don't know is because it's not their business and I don't want to be judged."

"It wasn't my father's business, either."

"They want to know what type of person I am. I'll show them. Lying wouldn't get us anywhere."

"You're probably right."

"I usually am," she giggled.


	21. Chapter 21

After another round of what he was starting to see as interrogations, Fiyero was called to his father's office - without Elphaba. She seemed unconcerned, merely glad to be getting a little alone time. He was uncertain about his father's intentions, and entered the room hesitantly.

"I thought we should talk about her." His father was sitting behind his desk, looming as he always did.

"She has a name, you know," Fiyero replied.

His father ignored the comment. "She's very… different."

"I happen to like that about her."

"And you're certain about this? Marrying her?"

"I haven't asked her yet. But yes, I intend to."

"You haven't even known her a year."

"Which is why I intend to ask her and I'm not asking her right this moment."

His father sighed heavily. "She has an attitude."

"She's fierce. I like that. She's not afraid to speak her mind and to be honest. Every other girl I've met only acts like she thinks I want her to. That's not Elphaba." He shrugged. "You thought this wasn't the worst idea, combining the East and the West."

"Seeing her has reminded me, Son, of how different the East and the West are."

"Exactly! Think of how those differences can benefit each other. We can learn from each other. I learn from Elphaba all the time, and she learns things from me, much as she might not like to admit it sometimes."

His father shook his head. "Ultimately, my son, this is up to you. But you need to think about your choices."

"Give her a chance, Father." Fiyero walked out and back to Elphaba, who lay on his bed reading. "Anything interesting?"

She put the book down. "Not particularly. I've already read this twice."

He sat on the bed beside her and kissed her. "You know we have a library."

She raised her eyebrows. "I think I like this place better."

"Do you want me to take you to the library?"

"Actually," she put the book on the bedside table, "I was thinking perhaps we could do something else, my love." Elphaba patted the bed beside her and smiled at him.

"Gladly," he joined her.

Later, Elphaba turned to him, "Sweet Oz, you are… tiring."

"I don't know if I like that choice of word."

"I can think of a lot of others. Exhausting. Pleasing. Wonderful. Tempting."

"Am I tempting right now? We just finished."

"You're always tempting. Even when I'm so tired I can hardly move, or I'm sore all the way down to my bones. It's like a drug, Fiyero. You are an addiction, physically, mentally, and sometimes I worry I've overdosed."

He reached for her and hugged her against him. "I feel that way, too. I love you, Fae. I can't imagine my life without you. But I don't think that's bad. It's love."

"It's a little scary," she said quietly. "I've never needed someone the way I need you. Even my father, my sister. I don't want to need anyone. I'm lucky it's you, though."

There was a knock on the door. Fiyero pulled on his shorts and answered. His father stood there. "A letter came for her." His eyebrows raised as he looked behind Fiyero. Elphaba lay in the bed, covered by the sheets.

"We just barely got here," she sat up, pulling the sheets with her. "How?"

"A Pigeon came with it." His father shrugged and handed the letter to Fiyero. "It arrived about an hour ago, but when I brought it to the door, I could tell from the noise that you were, uh, occupied."

Elphaba's face flushed and she looked away.

"Thanks." Fiyero shut the door in his father's face and brought the letter to Elphaba. "I apologize for that."

"It's fine. I suppose I was a little loud. I forgot we needed to keep quiet."

"We don't, and don't worry about it. This isn't the dorms." He nudged her. "What's this about?"

She opened the letter and scanned it quickly, snorting as she read. "Oh, please."

"What's going on?"

"It's from my father. He's upset that I came out here without his permission. Nanny told me it was fine. I knew he wouldn't simply accept that." Elphaba continued reading. "Oh…"

"What?"

"He… he called your people barbaric, accused me of having loose morals. Normal." She shrugged. "He does, however, wish to meet you and wants to know why I haven't told him about you at all."

"We can go to Clowen Grounds. I can arrange for a carriage," he offered.

"Don't do that! We were going to spend the summer here. Besides, Fiyero, we are not spending that much time there. Can you keep your hands off of me for the rest of the summer?" She demanded.

He grinned. "Never."

"And that wouldn't go over well. We're not going."

"It sounds like he wants us to." He pressed.

"That's not my problem."

"Fae, even if it's only for a few days, we should go."

"We promised your family we'd spend the summer here. It would be rude."

He knew that was merely an excuse not to see her family, but he shrugged. "Over the winter holidays, then."

She sighed. "I suppose we have to. Kumbrica's arse, it's like we're married and have to visit both families."

He laughed. "You're right. Except this is more the precursor to marriage."

She lowered her eyes. "I guess it is."

"You get uncomfortable every time I bring that up, Fae," he pushed.

"I just… marriage. That's so… traditional."

"It's necessary. Because of who I am. Actually, because of who you are, too."

"And children? Are they going to be necessary?"

It wasn't marriage that was bothering her, it was children. The way her voice had gotten higher when she'd asked that question told him as much. "One. I need an heir."

"I love you, but I do not want children. I can't imagine myself having them. I'm not fit to be a mother, Yero. And I don't want to be."

"Don't say that. Sometimes you don't know until it happens. And it doesn't have to happen _now_. We can worry about it later."

"It's not so simple, Fiyero. It has to happen. But I'm just not sure I want to."

"And what does that mean for us?"

"I don't know." Elphaba laid back on the bed again. "I do want to be with you. I'm just not sure I want to have your children. And that's what marriage means. Besides, we still have a year left of school."

"We do. But planning ahead isn't a bad idea. Look, if you absolutely don't want children, we will figure something out. I got out of my arrangement, didn't I?"

She smiled at him then. "Yes. For me."

"Then if it gets to that point, Fae, I promise you, we will figure it out. Together."


	22. Chapter 22

Elphaba had grown weary of Fiyero's father's constant questioning, but she wasn't going to let him know that. If the man knew he had gotten to her, he'd only get worse. So she endured it, though the summer grew long and tedious because of it, especially the moments when she wasn't alone with Fiyero.

"I'll be glad to get back to school in a week," she told Fiyero late one evening towards the end of their visit.

"I know my parents haven't been easy on you," he began, turning towards her in the bed.

"Just the one parent, Fiyero. Your mother has been nothing but kind."

"As I was saying, I know that my father hasn't been easy on you, but didn't you at least enjoy this somewhat? I was here with you, too. Spending every night in my bed couldn't have been that awful."

She reached out and traced the diamond on his cheek. "That, my sweet, is the only thing that keeps me sane."

"I thought you said I drove you crazy."

"In a good way, and only sometimes."

There was a knock on the door, which hadn't happened much since the beginning of their visit. Outside of meals, Fiyero and Elphaba kept to themselves, and his parents tended to leave them alone - for which Elphaba was grateful.

Elphaba shrugged on a robe and got up to answer the door.

"Let me," Fiyero was starting to step into his clothes.

"I've got it, Yero." She opened the door to Fiyero's father. "Yes?"

"I would like to speak with you." He said simply.

"Let me finish dressing and I'll see you in a moment, Father." Fiyero called from behind her.

"Fiyero, I think he meant me." Elphaba could tell by the look in his father's eyes.

"She's right. And only her. Will you come to my office?"

"Would you prefer I change into something more formal?" Elphaba had enjoyed wearing the robes that a lot of the other women wore. They were quick and uncomplicated. But they were also more common, and Fiyero's mother didn't wear them often - she took to wearing dresses, at least to meals.

"Wait a moment, why am I not allowed in this conversation?" Fiyero demanded.

She glanced at him, face flushed with determination. It was almost cute, but it was also completely unnecessary. "It's fine, Fiyero."

"You may come as you are." His father shrugged and led Elphaba to his office, a distressed Fiyero still standing in the doorway of the bedroom. "Have a seat," he said as she entered the room behind him.

She sat down in a chair across the desk from his. "What is this about?"

His father cleared his throat. "My son wants to marry you."

"He hasn't quite said that yet, but that seems to be his intention, yes. Is that an issue?" Elphaba had no idea where the conversation was going, but she was going to keep herself composed. He would not rattle her.

"And when he asks, are you going to accept his proposal?"

"I…" Damn. She faltered. After all this time, all their conversations, all they had been through, what he had done for her, could the answer possibly be anything else? "I think I will, yes."

"And how do you intend to handle being Eminent Thropp and being the Queen? Have you thought about that?" The older man folded his arms across his chest.

"Somewhat. There would be some travel required, of course. Compromises would have to be made, maybe certain tasks would have to be delegated, but I believe it would be possible." It was actually something she hadn't thought of before, but what she came up with sounded good, so she went with it.

"And would Fiyero have to delegate, as well?"

"Most likely. I understand he has some cousins he trusts. Like I said, we would arrange it when the time comes. You are still king."

The man stood up and strode to his window. "I think it might come sooner than you would expect."

"What do you mean?" She still wasn't sure what the purpose of this discussion was, and she didn't like that.

"Miss Elphaba, I'm ill. Not gravely so just yet, but it will worsen over time. And the people won't want to see a frail king. I imagine that Fiyero will need to take the throne in two years, at the latest. He will need a wife by his side. I didn't choose you."

She swallowed hard. "He doesn't know, does he?"

"No. I intend to tell him before he leaves with you for the semester. I trust you won't tell him."

"It is not mine tell. It's yours."

"Good. I've been watching you, asking you all these questions because I need to know that my son made a good decision."

"And?"

"I think perhaps he did."

That surprised her. The man had been nothing but cold to her, but maybe that had been a test. She shook her head. "Thank you, I suppose."

"When I tell him, I don't expect him to take it well."

"Neither do I." Despite the tension between the two men, Fiyero cared for his father.

"You will take care of him?"

This conversation was full of surprises. She had no idea how to answer that. Take care of him? She wasn't his mother. But she supposed that's what came with love. And if something ever happened, he'd take care of her, too. He already tried to when she didn't need it. Of course she should return that. "Of course."

Fiyero's father told him the news at dinner the next night. "Son, there's something we need to discuss."

"If it's about Elphaba again…"

"It's not… directly. Fiyero, over the past year or so, I've begun having these 'weak spells.' And my mind has not been nearly as sharp."

"It happens when you get a little older."

"No, not like this. Fiyero, I went to see a physician in the City. The expect I've got several more years, but my mind will start to fade first. In a year or two, they don't believe I will be mentally capable of continuing to rule. In five…"

"You're dying?" Fiyero suddenly stopped paying attention to his food.

"Slowly. You're going to need to take over for me probably when you have graduated. I know that wasn't the plan, but it's what is best for everyone."

Fiyero nodded slowly.

Elphaba slid a hand into his lap and grasped his hand tightly, not speaking.

"I need you to be prepared for that." Fiyero's father said.

"Father, I'm not ready." Fiyero wouldn't look at her or his father.

"You will be. No one is ever ready, Son. And you've got help," his father gestured to Elphaba. "She's got a good head on her shoulders. The two of you can handle this together."

Elphaba squeezed his hand. "I love you," she murmured so only he could hear.

He only blinked, then stood calmly. "May I be excused?"

HIs father and mother looked at one another. "I suppose you need time to think."

Fiyero didn't answer and walked out of the room.

Elphaba nodded towards his father and followed him into his bedroom. "Yero, I'm sorry."

"You didn't seem surprised back there, Fae. Did you know?"

"He told me yesterday."

"And you didn't tell me?" There was anger in his voice.

"Fiyero," she put a hand on his shoulder, "it wasn't mine to tell. He said he'd tell you soon. He did. It's not my place to go around that."

He turned to her and she saw tears in his eyes. "He's my father, Fae."

"I know." She didn't. If her own father was dying, she wasn't certain she'd care. But if it were Nessa… "You've got time with him. At least you know," she tried.

He sat down on the bed, clearly still stunned and she sat beside him. Fiyero shook his head. "My grandfather lived until two years ago. He was elderly. Why is this happening to my father?"

"You can't ask for a reason for this sort of thing, Fiyero. Sometimes there isn't one. Science can't answer that question, at least not yet. We will never know why. You just need to do the best you can." Seeing that he was struggling not to sob fully, she pulled him towards her.

He leaned against her, pressing his head against her bosom. "I can't do this alone."

"I know."

"Fae, I'm going to need you to…"

"Not now, Fiyero. This is not the time." His tears stung her skin just the slightest bit, but not enough to burn or leave a mark.

"You're probably right."

She laid back on the bed, drawing him with her. It wasn't strange being the strong one. She had helped raise Nessa, after all. "I'll help you. I promise."

He nodded. "That's all I need to hear right now."


	23. Chapter 23

When they returned to Shiz, Nanny sought her out. "You didn't come home at all. Even after your father's letters."

He had sent multiple letters, which she had ignored. "It was rude to just leave when I'd been invited to stay. I will bring Fiyero to Clowen Grounds over the winter holidays."

"You should write your father and at least tell him that." The old woman scolded.

She shrugged. "You do it."

"Your sister was a little confused about you being gone the whole time, as well."

Elphaba hadn't quite considered Nessa. "I suppose you told her why."

"I told your father. I told her, too. She seemed distressed by you spending all that time in such an uncivilized land."

She rolled her eyes. "She'll recover. I'll come by tonight and visit her."

"Fabala," Nessa interrupted from behind Nanny, "I'm right here." Nanny pushed her chair into the room at that point.

Elphaba quickly ran through the conversation with Nanny in her head, hoping she hadn't said anything that might upset her sister. "Nessie."

"You spent the whole summer with that… that boy?"

"Fiyero, Nessa. You know him, too."

"I can't imagine what it must be like in the Vinkus, what sort of sins they indulge in."

"Nessie, just because they don't share your religious views doesn't make them bad people. Judgement is against the ways of the Unnamed God, and you seem very judgemental right now."

"You are a servant of the Unnamed God, Elphaba, not a pagan."

"I don't particularly think I'm either of those things, actually. Nessa, whether you like it or not, Fiyero is part of my life. And it's probably going to stay that way."

"Maybe a mission to the Vinkus is in order for Father and I…"

"Don't even think about it. We will talk further about this over the spring holidays. You need to accept him, Nessa. He's a good man and he loves me. That's all that needs to matter."

Nessa bit her lip. "We'll see." She looked at Nanny, who gave Elphaba a quick raise of the eyebrows as she wheeled Nessa down the hall.

Galinda looked sympathetically at Elphaba as she shut the door. "Nessa is a sweet girl, but she's stubborn in her views. Maybe she will come around when she sees how much Fiyero loves you."

"Perhaps. My father won't."

"How was your summer?"

Elphaba began unpacking her things and opened her closet. "Eventful. Stressful."

"I thought it sounded fun. I mean, you got to spend a whole summer with your lover."

There had been that. "True. I just… his family made things a little more difficult."

"What happened?"

"His father basically interrogated me every meal we ate together. And… Galinda, his father is ill. He didn't tell us until the end of the summer, but it's not good. And that means a lot for Fiyero, not to mention losing his father. He wasn't quite ready to take over his father's duties, and I think that's a bit daunting for him."

"Oh that's awful. I'm so sorry. I'll give him my condolences." Galinda bounced around the room. "What about you two? Is everything good there?"

"It's fine."

Galinda looked at her pointedly. "Still no engagement ring on your finger."

"How observant. No, there isn't and I am perfectly fine with that." Elphaba shook her head. Galinda was way too invested in her relationship with Fiyero.

"You love him?"

"I do."

"Then why aren't you two getting married?"

"I didn't say we weren't. I said we aren't engaged at the present moment. There's a difference. I didn't know my relationship had a third wheel who had any input."

"I'm just curious, Elphie!"

"Why don't we talk about something other than boys?" Elphaba sighed. "What did you do over the summer?"

"Oh, not too much. I did practice my sorcery. Did you practice a lot?"

"A little." Elphaba waved her hands and her dress floated onto a hanger in her closet. "I worry that sorcery is going to make me lazy."

Galinda smiled. "It might." She wiggled her fingers and her pillows flipped in the air and puffed themselves. "I'm sure as long as we're conscious of it, we will be fine."

"I also think most of what she teaches us is very material. There have got to be spells other than changing colors of items and teleporting things."

"But Elphie, spells like that are incredibly powerful. Very few people are allowed to know them."

"And if I want to know them?"

"You'd have to ask Morrible. I'd bet she knows some."

"She'd never go for that."

"Why don't you try?"

So on their first day of class, she did. "Madame?" She raised her hand the moment the woman finished taking roll.

"Yes, Miss Elphaba," she drawled.

"I understand that there are more powerful spells, such as larger fire spells, weather spells, more intense spellwork. Are we going to learn them this year? It is our last year."

Madame Morrible laughed shortly. "Miss Elphaba, all known copies of those spells are kept locked up in the City. Not just anyone can learn them, no matter what University they go to."

"You learned them."

"Of course _I_ learned them. I'm the headmistress. The Wizard has given me the decision making process over who learns those spells."

"Then you can teach them to all of us." Elphaba insisted.

"If I taught them to every senior class, Miss Elphaba, far too many people would have power they could not handle. That is something that happens only after many conversations with me and the Wizard and several other higher-ups, Miss Elphaba. If that is something you're interested it, you will need to do a lot of work to make yourself worthy. There are, of course, some of you in this class who I intend to recommend for this rigorous process." As she said that, she beamed at Galinda.

Elphaba couldn't believe the bureaucracy surrounding a simple set of spells. No wonder the Wizard held all the power. If he protected all the power, no one would dare oppose him. And she knew Madame Morrible would never let her near them. The woman may allow her in her highest classes, but she could feel the disdain dripping from every word Morrible said to her.

She stayed silent for the rest of the class, thinking quietly. Galinda came skipping up to her afterwards. "That sure was interesting. I didn't know those spells were so complicated!"

"I'm not certain they are. I think they just don't want power getting into hands that aren't controlled by them."

"Elphie, you're being paranoid. She said there's a way."

"I'm certain there is. If you kiss up to the Wizard and promise to never disobey. That's not my way, and you know it."

"Elphie, you need to learn that sometimes, it's not about morals or beliefs. You do what you have to in order to get where you want to be."

Elphaba shook her head, sometimes she felt like Fiyero was the only one who really understood her.


	24. Chapter 24

Galinda answered the door when he knocked. "Elphaba's not here."

"I'm not here to see her. I know where she is. When I invited her to come by earlier, she told me she'd be at the library."

"Then why are you here?"

"To talk to you," Fiyero said, stepping into the room. "I need some advice."

"Everyone always seems to come to me for that," Galinda said. "I'm not quite sure why."

"You're very good at giving it. Galinda, you're more perceptive than you seem at first. I think you know that." Fiyero said, grabbing the chair from Elphaba's desk and sitting down.

"I do," she grinned. "What did you need to talk about?"

"When I tell you, I don't want you to freak out."

"You're going to ask Elphaba to marry you."

"Like I said, you're perceptive." He laughed. And she was right. "I am. I know she's a little funny about the topic, and I wanted to know the best way to go about it. I won't ask until at least the winter holidays, because I want to ask her father for her hand."

"She won't like that."

"I know that. But it seems like the proper thing to do. And even though neither I nor she agree with his views, I think it would be a good start to a relationship with her family." Fiyero had thought about this a great deal, and he had come to this conclusion.

"And if he says 'no'?"

"I'm going to ask her anyway."

"Good. I don't think she'd want you to change everything just because her father said so."

"Now about how I'm going to ask. Part of me wants to do it when we go visit her family."

"That would be a bad idea."

Fiyero raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Because she doesn't want a public display, especially not around her family. You know that, Fiyero."

"I suppose I do. I just want to make it special. She knows it's coming, and that's more than I'd like already."

"I understand that, but you have to remember it's Elphaba. It needs to be intimate. That doesn't mean it can't be romantic."

"You have a point."

"So wait until you are done meeting her family. Are you traveling with Nanny and Nessa?"

"No, they need special accommodations. They leave a day early and you know how Elphaba doesn't want to miss a day of classes."

"So it'll be just you two? Is it a trip that lasts more than a few hours?"

"A quick overnight stay, yes."

"And how are you traveling?"

"Carriage. Her father thinks we're staying in separate rooms at the hotel. I even booked two, but she'll be in my room, I think."

"Ask her on the way back - if she isn't too stressed. Maybe make special arrangements with the hotel, get some wine or something, make the room pretty."

"I knew you would know what to do," he smiled. "You… you think she'll say 'yes'?"

"I know she will."

"She doesn't seem completely fond of the idea of marriage."

"As an institution, no. But to you? I think she could live with that."

"Well, I better make some arrangements. I've got some preparations to make. The winter holidays aren't as far off as they seem."

"So you're thinking a summer wedding?" Galinda asked as he headed towards the door.

"I think we'll have to. I need to be married before I'm coronated."

"I heard about your father."

"I know. She told me you expressed your condolences."

"I'm so sorry, Fiyero."

"I am, too. Thank you again, Galinda." He left.

The winter holidays did come faster than expected. Elphaba spent the days leading up to it almost solely in his room outside of classes. He figured she must be trying to make up for the nights they would spend apart. She'd made it clear that she didn't want him to do anything more than kiss her on the cheek or hold her hand when they arrived at Clowen Grounds. More than that would be considered immoral by her family, and she wanted them to at least try to like him.

When they arrived, her father was waiting in the doorway. Nessa and Nanny had not arrived yet. Fiyero immediately stuck his hand out for her father to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Sir."

Frex eyed his hand but didn't take it. "Likewise," he muttered half-heartedly. "Why don't you two come inside. Elphaba." He nodded curtly at his daughter.

"Father," she nodded back. This was almost as tense as visiting his family had been.

Despite Elphaba's protest, Fiyero carried both of their things inside. He knew she didn't like it, but it was a courtesy that civilized men were supposed to give to women, and he needed to make an impression. Usually he let her do what she wished, but this was a special case. Frex directed him to a meager guest room with a rotting bed and a mattress with a spring sticking out at the end. He put his things down and then followed Elphaba to her room, putting her things down in the doorway. "Should I not come in?" He asked softly, casting a sideways glance at her father's form down the hall.

"Not at the moment." She grabbed her bag and placed it on her bed. "He probably expects us to have tea in the dining room. He tries very hard to be formal when we have guests. We should follow him. There will be time to unpack later."

They sat side-by-side across the table from her father for tea. Fiyero graciously sipped tea, though he'd never had a fondness for it. They didn't drink tea in the Vinkus.

"You must be Elphaba's… friend," Frex began.

"Father, he's more than my friend and you know that. Fiyero and I have been seeing each other for over a year now."

"And you're from the Vinkus?" Frex asked him.

"Yes. I'm a prince of the Arjiki tribe."

"A prince? I see." Her father seemed to like that.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"I love your daughter very much, Sir," Fiyero said.

Elphaba coughed. He supposed he'd jumped the gun on that part of the conversation, but it was out there.

"I see," Frex said thinly.

"Father, please be kind. He's a good man and he's been nothing but respectful and good to me." Elphaba pleaded.

He hadn't ever heard that tone in her voice before, that desperation for approval. It wasn't one he liked. "And your daughter is a wonderful woman. I'm lucky to have met her."

"Yes, how did you meet?" Frex asked.

"She was in my life sciences class. It took some time to adjust to the teaching methods at Shiz and Elphaba was kind enough to tutor me. She's an exemplary student, you know." He caught Elphaba's eyes quickly and she gave him a quick smile.

"She's always been studious, yes." The man sipped his tea slowly. "What are your intentions?"

"Father!"

"Elphaba…" Fiyero sighed, taking her hand gently. "We are young and still in school. I haven't declared my intentions, but I do enjoy spending time with her and I believe there is a future in store for us."

Elphaba shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I see." Frex stood up. "It is very late. I expect you two are tired from the journey. We can continue this conversation in the morning."

"That was abrupt," Elphaba muttered, but she got up and headed to her bedroom, gesturing carefully for Fiyero to return to his own room. "Good night, my sweet." She pressed her lips to his cheek and left the room.

Fiyero lingered as Frex began to collect their cups. "Sir?"

The older man eyed him uneasily. "I can direct you to the guest room again if you're lost."

"No, that's not the case. I needed to speak with you."

Frex's eyebrows raised. "About?"

"My intentions. I didn't want to say anything with Elphaba present, Sir, because I haven't officially asked her yet. I would like to ask your daughter to marry me, Sir, but I would like your blessing first." He had meant to have the conversation towards the end of their little visit, but since her father had asked about his intentions, he decided he'd best declare them, come what may.

Frex sputtered for a moment and paused. "You intend to marry my daughter."

"If she'll marry me, yes."

He looked closely at Fiyero. "And her duties as Eminent Thropp?"

This was a discussion he was already rehearsed in, having had a similar one with his own father. "Well, look at it as a sort of alliance between the East and the West. We'd probably have to spend equal time in both places, but I do believe it can be done."

Frex's eyes narrowed. "I understand now."

"What?"

"You're marrying my daughter for her title."

"No. I love your daughter, like I said. If it were up to me, neither of us would have a title. It would make things less complicated. But since it didn't work out that way, it would be best if we made it work, and I think it's a novel idea."

Frex turned away from Fiyero for a moment, considering. "Do I need to give you this blessing now?"

"I was hoping to ask her before the start of the next semester. Not here, of course. Not that I don't want her family to be around, but I think she'd prefer it be a more closed setting. I was going to take her to dinner on the trip back to Shiz and ask her then, if you approve."

"I'll think about it."

Well, it was better than nothing.


	25. Chapter 25

Nessa arrived early the next morning, and Frex and Nanny were a whirlwind as they got her properly situated, leaving Elphaba and Fiyero alone in the living room sitting as close as would be appropriate. "I'm sorry that my father was so short with us last night. He stresses over Nessa. You're not his priority, despite the fact that he demanded you come out here."

"It's fine, Elphaba." She had told him that calling her "Fae," in this setting was not the best idea. "But I did want to discuss something with you."

She looked down the hall, listening to the chattering voices coming from Nessa's room and deciding it was safe to talk. "What is it?"

"The way you spoke to your father last night. You sounded timid, as though you were afraid he'd reject your words. Over the summer, we talked about how I felt I was always a step ahead of you and I think part of that is that you're afraid of putting yourself out there, somewhat because of how you were treated by your family."

"What, you're analyzing my behavior now?"

"Let me finish, Elphaba. I don't want you to be afraid to put yourself out there for me. I'm never going to reject you. If you fall, I'm going to fall with you or I'm going to catch you. I know you'd do the same for me. Please don't be afraid to tell me how you feel, or to show it."

"I've told you that I love you."

"I know that. But I just don't want you to shy away from it. I don't want you to ever think that I would hurt you or dismiss your feelings."

"Fiyero," she smiled at him gently, putting a hand over his, "I know. It's just a habit. It's who I am with everyone."

"You don't have to with me."

"I'm learning that." Elphaba didn't understand how he could still not realize how deeply she cared. "You still don't realize how much I love you, do you?"

"No, I do. Don't misunderstand me. I've begun to see that. You wouldn't have brought me out here if you didn't. But I don't want you to shy away from your feelings because you're afraid to get hurt like you did before. I see it now. I do."

She nodded. "Good. Because I don't know how else I could prove it to you."

"I don't need proof, Elphaba. I can see it in a million ways. I just needed to know where to look."

Her cheeks darkened and she looked at her lap. "You, my love, are too much."

Frex came walking back down the hallway at that point. "Your sister is going to take a short nap. The travel has exhausted her." Nanny was trailing behind him. "I do still think there was more to discuss, anyway. And there's no need to trouble Nessarose."

Elphaba bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from scoffing and took Fiyero's hand. "Father, I realize you were displeased with my decision to go to the Vinkus for the summer, but I was invited. Once I got your letter, I couldn't very well just leave. It would be improper."

"You didn't even bother to write back."

"I didn't know what to say. I didn't appreciate the tone or the words you used."

Her father sighed. "I was a little unhappy when I wrote that letter."

"It was my decision. Father, I'm an adult."

"You are still my daughter."

"I'm not yours to command. I'm not anyone's. Even Fiyero's. And he knows and respects that, unlike you."

"Elphaba, your father just wants what's best for you, I'm sure," Fiyero tried.

Even Nanny rolled her eyes at that, which Elphaba had to fight laughter because of.

"Fiyero, would you tell me about yourself?" Frex settled back in his chair.

"Well, I'm studying economics and policy. Like I said earlier, I'm from the Vinkus."

"Tell me more about that. What is it like out there? What are your people like?"

Elphaba knew this conversation was going towards Fiyero's godlessness. She wasn't keen on it. "They're good people."

"They are," Fiyero agreed. "I understand you have concerns from a moral standpoint. I do recognize that our cultures are quite different, but I believe that those differences are what makes them interesting. My people follow a moral code, though they may not follow the same god."

Elphaba was impressed with how well he composed himself and the words he was choosing. He'd never had to be formal with her, so she'd never seen him like this. Once or twice in class when he spoke, maybe, but this was different. He would make a good king.

"Would your people be averse to converting?"

"Father, my relationship is not an opportunity for you to baptize people. His people are perfectly happy as they are." Elphaba had grown tired of her father's religion, and as she had grown, she'd rebelled against it. She wouldn't have it shoved in her or anyone else's face.

"I'm just thinking of the future. If the two of you were to continue this relationship, it might be good to find some common ground with the Winkies."

"Father! They are Vinkun. I've told you that before. And common ground does not mean pressing them into adopting your religion."

Fiyero squeezed Elphaba's hand. "While I understand what Elphaba is saying, I wouldn't be opposed to opening a church. I wouldn't want more than that, you understand. My people would see it as an intrusion and as a leader I don't want to upset anyone."

He had an answer for everything. Elphaba squeezed his hand back. "He's got a point. Things like what you are asking would take time." And dedication from the leaders, and she didn't think that part was going to happen. But perhaps Fiyero was doing the right thing in appeasing her father, at least for the time being.

After that, Frex seemed a little less tense with Fiyero. They were by no means friends, but at one point towards the end of their visit when she had left the room, she even returned to find the two men shaking hands, though she wasn't told what that was about.

In the carriage on their trip back, Elphaba kissed him heavily. "I can't wait to get you alone, Yero." She eyed the carriage driver, who couldn't hear much of what they were saying and only glanced back occasionally.

He smiled at her. "I feel the same way."

"I do want to say something of my own, actually."

He seemed surprised at his, but nodded. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking about what we talked about. You're right. Even with you, I'm afraid you won't reciprocate my feelings even though you've always done that and more. I should trust you more than that, Fiyero. I should've been able to tell you I loved you when you told me."

"We're past that, Fae."

"I know. But right now, it's my turn to put myself out there. Fiyero, I'm not conventional, and neither are you, so this shouldn't be" she faltered, afraid of what she was going to say. "I want to marry you. If you'll have me."

He stared at her silently, his mouth slowly falling open.

"Fiyero?"

All of the sudden he started laughing, loudly, so loudly that the carriage driver turned around to see what the fuss was about.

"Damn it, Fiyero, you wanted me to be honest with you and express myself and then you laugh at me?" She was getting angry.

He shook his head, still stifling laughter. "Fae, you don't understand." Fiyero reached into his jacket pocket and took out a small box.

Elphaba realized her mistake. "You were going to…"

"Yes. Tonight. Your feelings are more than reciprocated. I wasn't laughing at you, love, I was laughing at the timing." He opened the box and removed the ring.

She smiled and held out her hand. "We're getting married, then?"

"And in our engagement, as in everything else, we proved to be just a little different." He said as he slipped the ring on her finger. "But I like it that way."


	26. Chapter 26

They were giddy when they arrived at the hotel that evening. Elphaba was surprised (though it made sense when she thought about what he had intended to do) that they were in the honeymoon suite. Dinner was set on a table for them. As they entered the room, flower petals littered the floor, trailing towards the table and another trail to the bed.

"You went a little overboard, Fiyero," she commented. "What kind of flowers are these?"

"I wanted rose petals, but they were out of seasons. They're poppies."

"You thought you'd drug me into marrying you?" She teased.

"There aren't enough for that. They're red. That was the only reason."

Despite the fact that dinner was sitting warm on the table in the corner, Elphaba hopped on the bed.

"You're not hungry?"

"Not for food." She'd wanted him for days, and she could finally have him again. Elphaba did not feel like being patient.

The corners of his mouth twitched as he considered. "The food will be cold."

"It'll still taste the same," she answered. "Not to mention I still have a little leftover of what I packed from lunch. We ate hours ago. It's been a week since…"

"I'm well aware," he said, slowly moving towards the bed. "I could barely sleep knowing you were only just feet away and I couldn't hold you or…" He trailed off.

"Or?" She took his hand as he approached.

"Or please you." He climbed onto the bed beside her and undressed her quickly. "Sweet Fae, have you ever pleasured yourself?"

She looked into his eyes, clouded now with lust. "I tried once or twice some time ago, out of curiosity, but I never really felt much."

"What if I showed you what I do to you and then you do the same? There is no shame in doing this, you know, and if we're ever away from one another like we were before, it couldn't hurt." He spread her legs open. "Give me your hand."

"Do you ever touch yourself?"

"I haven't needed to much since I met you. But when I was alone over the winter holidays last year, yes. I thought of you every moment, of course." He drew her hand between her legs. "Now, how much can you see?"

"I can see where my hand is now. I like the view of your hand better," she giggled.

"Watch my hand." Fiyero rubbed a finger against the sweet mound of flesh above where he usually entered her.

She tossed her head back, "Yero…"

"You need to watch," he reminded her.

Elphaba lifted her head back up, looking at Fiyero's hand. "That feels nice."

"Now, as you've noticed, sometimes I like to take my other hand and just do this." He pressed two fingers inside of her, thrusting roughly. "It helps me know how much you're enjoying yourself." His fingers emerged, coated with her juices and he licked them clean. "Now you."

Hesitantly, she began to slide her fingers between her legs, closing her eyes. "I want to taste you, too, Yero."

"In a moment. Does that feel good, Fae?"

"Not as good as you do, but it's pleasurable, yes."

"Now take your other hand and do what I did."

She slipped a single finger inside her, surprised at the warmth, the sweet wetness. "Mmm. I do like that."

"Keep going. I want you to reach that peak by yourself at least once." She heard him removing his clothes.

She opened her eyes, enjoying the view. "Looking at you might help," she laughed. Tiny waves of sensation were beginning to build. "I think I might… not like I do with you, but maybe… oh!" Her eyes widened as those waves become a tsunami and swept through her.

As soon as the tide started to ebb, she moved closer to him, taking him in her hands. She grinned. Her hands were never able to fully clasp around his girth. Elphaba brought her mouth to him, flicking her tongue gently along the way she knew he liked. Taking him into her mouth was more difficult than she liked to tell him - her jaw was sore afterwards and she was sometimes surprised her mouth could open so wide - but she enjoyed the taste of him in her mouth, his sweetness in her throat.

"This is one thing I only wish I could do myself," Fiyero murmured.

She drew her lips up and down, hands reaching for the part she couldn't fit into her mouth - there was only so much she could handle.

After a moment, he tenderly pulled away. "Now, I've read about some positions, my love, that allow for a deeper penetration."

Elphaba began to lay back in the bed. "Fiyero, you go more than deep enough. I swear you're bruising me sometimes."

"You're not interested?" He grabbed her to stop her. "It doesn't require you lying down."

"I didn't say that. I like the pain. It doesn't last long, either. I get consumed by other things."

He licked his lips. "Then turn over and get on your knees."

Elphaba, despite her experience, had only done two simple positions before Fiyero. Her on the top, and the standard position. Fiyero and she had done all sorts of acrobatics, but this was new. She knew people did it this way, but she'd always liked to be able to grab at him and she knew he liked to look into her eyes, and this way she wouldn't be able to. Still, always curious, she did as she was told.

He drew her hips towards him and moved her legs open just a little. "Does it really hurt sometimes, Fae?" His voice had changed into concern.

"In a good way," she replied.

"So you want me to hurt you?"

"I want you to go as deep as you possibly can. I want to feel you everywhere and be sore for days."

She felt him enter her, holding tight to her hips as he pulled her onto him. "Sweet Oz, after all the things we do, Fae, how are you still so tight? You have no idea how sweet it feels inside you."

"I might have something of an idea," she pressed herself against him. He was right. She could feel him pushing her limits and she moaned. "I honestly don't know how I stay in one piece when I have you in my bed."

He thrust against her hard and she yelped. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm," she wiggled herself backwards towards him. "Very."

He dragged her hips against him roughly. "I'm going to tear you apart tonight. I'm going to feel every part of you. When I'm done, Fae, you're going to be so sore I'll have to carry you to the carriage tomorrow." He began to pound inside her, every thrust reverberating against her, making her whimper.

"Yero, please," she begged, sensations whirling inside her, pain, lust, wetness, desire, delirium, pleasure, climax.

"Please, what?" He dug his fingers into her hips as he ravaged her depths.

"Please don't stop." The waves she'd felt before had turned into diving shots of pleasure, building quickly inside of her as he drove into her. "I'm going to…"

At that, he quickened his pace, pressing into her even harder and rougher with each thrust. When she screamed, he didn't stop, he kept moving, holding her body against him as she felt herself get weak.

"Fiyero, you're too much." She panted in rhythm to his thrusts.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Never." She continued to push back against him.

"Do you like that?" He said, yanking her hips back.

"I don't think you could do something I don't like, Yero."

"Tell me how you like it," he demanded, whispering against her ear as he buried himself so deep within her that she squealed. He reached around and began to tease that sensitive nub as he'd done earlier, only with much quicker strokes.

"I like the way you're so big it hurts," she told him. "I like the way it feels like you're ripping me open each time you enter me. I like the way you make me so eager before you even start. You've shown me my body can do things I didn't know were possible." Elphaba gasped as sweetness started to flow through her again.

"What else?" He asked gruffly.

"I like the way you feel inside me. I like the way you make me climax over and over before you finish. No one ever cared about my pleasure before. I love you so much, Yero," she cried out again, clutching the sheets.

"I love you, too, Fae." He pulled against her again and grunted. She felt him clutch her tightly and knew he was finishing. Slowly, he pulled out of her, grabbing her and pulling her body against him and lying back as he did.

She couldn't breathe, still. "Oh my…"

Fiyero laughed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm recovering. You always surprise me," she panted. "That was incredible."

"I live to please you."

"I think you do more than that." Elphaba closed her eyes, shocked at how sleep overcame her quickly.

The next morning, there were bruises on her hips, her thighs, every part of her he'd touched. When she tried to turn over in the bed, she felt the thud of pain and groaned. "I think I'm going to need help out of bed," she muttered.

"I told you, I'm going to have to carry you to the carriage."

Elphaba laughed. "I'm not that weak." She took his outstretched hand and lifted herself gingerly from the bed.

He looked at her in the light. "I really hurt you. Fae, I didn't mean…"

"No, Fiyero, a little pain for that amount of pleasure is more than a fair trade." She smiled at him encouragingly. "What I felt last night was stronger than ever, and what you do to me has always been pretty strong."

He grabbed her oils off the dresser. "I need to help you clean up. I'm so sorry."

"You didn't seem sorry last night," she teased.

"I got carried away," but the guilt had already started to leave his voice as he began to caress her skin with oil.

"Fiyero, it was amazing. Stop fussing. I'll probably be begging you to do that again within a week." Then she laughed. When he looked at her questioningly she merely said, "I just realized… we never ate dinner."


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note: According to my traffic stats, this story has 666 views. I'm not superstitious or anything, but can someone look at this, like, now? 666 isn't a great number.**

"I'm glad we got back and day before Galinda. I'm in for a long question-and-answer session when she sees the ring," Elphaba said to him when they arrived the next day.

"Crope is still gone as well. Come stay the night with me. As I would hope you know by now, we don't have to do anything physical."

"And if I want to?"

He looked at her, slightly worried, but she knew he'd oblige.

She always wondered at how he could be so gentle at times and then become so rough when they both wanted. He was a gentle person overall, and his enthusiasm sometimes surprised her. That night, he laid her down on his bed, showering her with soft kisses before he made love to her so smoothly and delicately. Unlike the prior night, it was slow and deliberate, every movement flowing together as they merged.

Afterwards, he massaged her skin, placing kisses on her bruises, easing her aching muscles. "We should talk about the wedding," he began.

"That would probably be a good idea," she acknowledged.

"I was hoping we could get married soon after we graduate. I know that's not a long engagement, but given the circumstances with my father…" His voice trailed off and caught in his throat.

Elphaba sat up gingerly and took his hand in hers. "I know, my love. Whenever you think is appropriate is perfectly acceptable to me."

"We'll need time, of course, for your family and probably Galinda to travel out to attend."

"My family is not likely to want anything to do with this wedding, Yero." Elphaba knew she'd have to write her father anyway.

He paused at that and seemed uneasy.

"What?" She didn't like the guilt in his eyes.

"Fae, I asked your father for your hand. He gave me permission. I think he'll attend."

"You asked my father? Like I was his property?" Elphaba glared at him angrily.

"I didn't do it for that reason. I did it because I wanted him to respect me and I know that was one of the ways to go about it. I would've asked you no matter what his answer was." He insisted.

That calmed her somewhat and she relaxed again. "Good."

He ran his fingers along her belly. "We should talk about how we intend to do this. You're to be Queen and Eminent Thropp. That's going to take some maneuvering. In fact, for formality's sake, perhaps we should have a second ceremony - a unionist one - in Muchkinland, show that I respect your culture and so on."

"You can't be serious. I don't know that I can handle one wedding, but two?" Elphaba shook her head.

"We need to think politically here. You know that."

She sighed. "I realize that. That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Now, I was thinking we could spend three months in each place and alternate. At least when the time comes for you to be Eminent Thropp. Until then, I'm sure we could spend the majority of our time in the Vinkus."

"Nest Hardings is too close to Clowen Grounds for my liking. Father would probably insist on visiting all the time. Not because he wants to see me, mind you, but because he likes the power of the eminency."

"We'll make it work. Is there a guest house on the property?"

Elphaba shook her head.

"Let's change that. You two won't even have to be in the same building. We'll make sure it's accessible for Nessarose, of course."

"You've really thought this through, Fiyero."

"I thought I should be prepared before I asked you to marry me. I wanted to have a plan."

"And then I went spur of the moment without any forethought."

He laughed. "That's why we work well together. We balance each other out." Fiyero rolled over onto her and kissed her deeply, one hand on her waist.

A key jammed into the lock and the door burst open. Crope wandered in. "I didn't realize you'd be back… and that is more of Elphaba than I ever wanted to see."

Fiyero leapt out of the bed, face darkening. "I thought you weren't going to be back until tomorrow." He grabbed for his clothes and went to one of his drawers, pulling out the nightdress Elphaba usually left there and tossing it to her.

"Tibbett was getting back today and I wanted to surprise him. Finding you two naked was a bit of a surprise… I knew Elphaba slept here, but you two are always so composed and formal when I see you."

"You barely see us. You're always in Tibbett's room. Besides, we're celebrating our engagement," Fiyero replied, buttoning his pants.

"Engagement?" Crope raised his eyebrows. "You two?"

"We've been together over a year. Is it that surprising?"

Crope paused, looking at Fiyero. "Not for you. For her."

Elphaba laughed and pulled the nightdress over her head. "He wore me down."

"I'll bet he did." Crope winked at her. "Oh, dear, if you two were celebrating," he brought his hand to his mouth, "did I just interrupt your first time?"

"By no means." Elphaba stood up. "That was far from it. You really think I'm so innocent?"

He shrugged. "Not innocent, per se, but not given to the physical urges that plague many of us."

"Oh, believe me, they plague me just as much as anyone else." Elphaba smiled knowingly. "I'm sure they plague you and Tibbett plenty."

Crope's face turned a deep red. "Why Miss Elphaba, are you making implications about my behavior?"

"I know men," she replied dismissively straightening herself out.

Crope pretended to huff, but asked eagerly, "Now that you're dressed, may I see the ring?"

Elphaba walked over to him and held out her hand. "It's a bit too… shiny for my taste."

"That's what jewelry is. I don't think there's a lot of non-shiny rings out there. It's very lovely." Crope gaped at it. "An emerald is not standard engagement stone, is it?"

"No," Fiyero answered, "but we're not a standard couple."

"That's for sure."

"Now, I'm off to go find Tibbett."

"Crope," Fiyero stopped him. "What you saw just now you will not tell anyone, even Tibbett. And that goes for the engagement, too. I think Elphaba wants to tell a few people herself."

"You got it." He winked once more and skipped out the door.

"I'm so sorry," Fiyero turned to her. "I know we're always careful to only be intimate when he's gone."

Elphaba was not concerned. "I'm actually surprised that this hasn't happened earlier. Besides, we're engaged. I don't care what people know."

"He saw you naked, Fae."

"If I were you, I'd be more concerned about him seeing you naked. I don't think he cared much to see me that way."

Fiyero snorted at that. "You're probably right."

"I just really hope he doesn't say anything about our engagement. Galinda will never forgive me if she's not the first one I tell."


	28. Chapter 28

Galinda arrived late the next evening, bounding into the room like an excited puppy. Her eyes went straight to the ring on Elphaba's finger. "I knew it!"

"That was fast," Elphaba muttered. Then she realized something. "He told you."

"He asked me for advice as to how to propose. Oh, please tell me. It must've been so romantic!" Galinda grabbed her roommate's hand, bouncing.

"Not exactly. Galinda, I asked him."

"You WHAT? Elphaba, that's unheard of!"

"We were talking and it just came out. I think he was a little upset, given that he'd had a whole plan set out for only hours later and I ruined it."

"I can't believe you! Elphie, you have no manners."

"How was I supposed to know he was going to ask?"

"You two have been taking about marriage for months. How were you supposed to expect anything else?"

Elphaba flushed at that. She figured the blonde was probably right. Part of her had known it was coming. Yet there'd be a small part of her that worried it wouldn't come, that he'd get bored with her, like every boy before him had. But somewhere between that, she had learned to trust his love for her, enough so that she had asked him instead, knowing he wouldn't hurt her. "You have a point. But I wanted to… sometimes I don't think he realizes how much I love him, too. He's always so affectionate and it wasn't fair."

"He really has changed you, Elphie. I didn't know that could bother you." Galinda's voice lowered.

"I don't think he's changed me, necessarily, so much as brought out aspects of me that I didn't know were there."

"Speaking of changes, I've decided to start going by Glinda."

"Why?"

"My holidays were eventful, too, Elphie. I saw something on that trip with my parents to the City."

"What did you see?"

"I saw Animals being beaten by the Gale Force, Elphie, for doing nothing." Glinda looked at her lap. "And I did nothing about it. Everyone stood there and watched."

Elphaba was silent for a moment. "Why did that make you change your name?"

"I remember how you were always on about how Dr. Dillamond was murdered, and how he could never quite pronounce my name. I realized, Elphaba, maybe you were right. And I'm not strong like you, Elphie. I don't fight. But I could at least do something to show my solidarity."

She nodded carefully. "I see." Elphaba wasn't sure how to respond to her roommate, so she stayed silent.

"When's the wedding?" Glinda asked quietly.

"The summer. I think we're going to have two. One in the Vinkus and one in Munchkinland, for formality's sake."

"That's exciting!"

"To you, maybe." Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I don't even know how to handle any of the arrangements, what needs to be done…"

"I can help you," Glinda offered. "I've never put on a wedding, but I have put on plenty of dances and cocktail hours."

"Thank you. I want you there. At both of them, if you can manage."

"I'd be honored."

Elphaba got up to change. As she did, she heard a gasp. "What?"

"Elphie… does Fiyero hurt you?"

The bruises. They'd been pretty purple that morning. "Not exactly." Her face flushed with embarrassment. "Glinda, sometimes... lovemaking can get very... vigorous. It doesn't hurt at the time. And it's not always like that. But if we both get carried away, it can happen."

Glinda merely raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." Elphaba shrugged. "We were excited when we got engaged. You're just lucky you didn't walk in on us like Crope did."

"He didn't!"

"We weren't doing anything, but we had been and we were in a state of undress, yes."

"You two are addicted." Glinda said sternly.

"Probably. That's what started all of this in the first place. I told you I wasn't as innocent as you thought, Glinda."

"You surprise me every day." Her roommate sighed. "Back to the wedding, I'm going to reach out to some people I know. I'm guessing you're going to have both ceremonies at your respective homes?"

"I assume so. Honestly, Fiyero might be the better person to ask about this, Glinda."

"Can we talk about your dress?"

"Dresses, I think. I'm guessing Fiyero's family will want me in ceremonial Vinkun robes, Glinda. I actually don't mind. Do you know they don't wear white at weddings?"

"Do you get to choose the color, then?"

"Ask Fiyero."

"And in Munchkinland, I'm assuming your father will want you to wear the traditional white dress?"

Elphaba shuddered at the thought. "You're probably right."

"I can at least help you with that."

"Why don't you just plan everything? I don't care." Elphaba was half-serious.

"Elphie, it's your _wedding_."

"And I never expected to have one. Yes, I love Fiyero, but I did not want a wedding. If it were up to me, we wouldn't even have a ceremony." That much was true. She'd rather just have a quick "I do," and have it over with. Circumstances, however, were not going to allow that.

"How can you say that, Elphie?"

"Because I mean it."

"I'll make sure you have the most wonderful wedding, I promise. You'll feel silly for dreading it." Glinda told her.

"Good luck with that."

"So I'm assuming Fiyero will be escorting you to the spring formal?"

"The what?"

"Elphie, how can you not know this? It's mandatory that all the girls about to graduate this year go to the formal with an escort. You must've heard the older girls talking about it last year or the year before…"

"A formal? With an escort?" Elphaba shook her head. "Are we, as a society, not past this ridiculousness yet?" At that moment, however, she was glad she had Fiyero. If she didn't, she had no idea what she'd be doing. Although she supposed she'd have to inform him he was escorting her. Maybe she should let him ask her. She'd deprived him of his marriage proposal; he should at least get this. Did he even know about it, though? "Do the boys know?"

"Of course. And their headmasters will no doubt be discussing it with them, much like Morrible will be discussing it with us sometime soon as well."

Elphaba practically gagged. "I'm not looking forward to that."


	29. Chapter 29

Elphaba sat in the back with Glinda and rolled her eyes as Madame Morrible explained to all the girls what the expectations would be in regards to the spring formal. The new semester had just barely begun, and already there was so much to do. She had to continue to get high marks in all her classes, plan two weddings and handle this stupid formal. Just thinking about it made her feel stressed.

Fiyero seemed to know just how to help her release that stress, and she found herself dozing in his arms later that night. He kissed her lips softly. "I love you, you know."

"Mmm," she murmured, "I love you, too, my sweet." Elphaba wiggled her toes, stretching out a little. "I'm exhausted."

"You seemed tired when you came in earlier."

"Not tired. Just… overwhelmed."

"Fae, it's only the second week of the semester, how are you overwhelmed at this point?"

"I'm taking the hardest classes I'll ever take, dealing with our wedding and all sorts of things. It's just a bit much at once."

"And I'm guessing the spring formal isn't helping?"

"So you heard about that?" She propped her head up on her hand, looking at him.

"I did. I figured I'd take you, if that's what you want."

She laughed. "What I want is to not have to go at all. But if I have to go, yes, I'd prefer to go with you. I'm surprised you didn't try to find some fancy way to ask me."

"I considered it," he admitted, "but I know well enough by now that the best way to go about things is simply and to the point."

"You know me well," she told him.

"I would hope so."

"Do you ever wish I was more of the romance type?" Elphaba wondered aloud. "After all, every time you want something romantic, I tend to get in the way."

"Not at all." He took her hand. "You would not be you if you liked romance. Besides, I think we have our own version of it. And it takes some of the pressure away. What we have isn't like the fairy tales, like the romance novels, so why should we do the same as they do?"

She wriggled her body closer to him and nuzzled against him. "You… some days, I don't even know what to do with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I just… you're too good. I'm not that good, Fiyero. I'm wicked."

"I'm not nearly too good. Think of where we met. And you are not wicked."

"Oh, I am. Haven't I shown you?" She teased.

"That you have. But in that, I must be just as wicked." He ran a finger down her belly.

"Your intentions about things, Fiyero, are probably much better than mine. Not in this relationship. I think we share intentions there. But in life, I'm not so certain."

"I think you're just being silly, Fae."

"No," she insisted, "I am. I'm wicked. Dreadfully wicked."

He seemed to drop the subject, then, as if he were giving in. "Have you gotten a response from your father about our engagement?"

She had written him the day after they returned to Shiz. "Yes. He said he was pleased, and that he would help us make arrangements. I've already handed most of that over to Glinda, anyway. She'll actually enjoy it and she knows what she's doing. You don't mind if we have the ceremony in Munchkinland first?"

"It makes sense," he replied. "If we had it in the Vinkus first, your father would be scandalized. We'd consummate a marriage that wasn't done in the eyes of the Unnamed God."

"Exactly."

"Not to mention, that gives us an excuse not to spend too much time there and to head back to the Vinkus quickly. I know you're not keen on family time."

"At this point, I think I'm just going to bow out of making any arrangements. You talk to Glinda about it, because you seem to know just what I want and you've thought of things that haven't even occurred to me yet." Elphaba yawned. "I'm sleepy just thinking about it."

He kissed her forehead gently. "Good night, then, my Fae."

"Good night, Yero."

She always woke up before he did, and as she carefully extracted herself from Fiyero's arms, Crope cleared his throat.

"I didn't hear you come in last night."

"I just got in," Crope shrugged. He seemed distracted.

"Is everything well with you?"

"This stupid formal."

"You're telling me."

"Why do I have to bring a girl?" The boy's voice rose loud enough that she knew he would wake Fiyero.

He shifted in the bed, as she'd expected. "Good morning, Crope."

She turned to him, smiling at the mess that was his hair. "We were just talking about the formal. He's not happy that he has to bring a female. I think he was more interested in someone of the male persuasion."

"When did you get in?" Fiyero asked.

"A few minutes ago," the young man replied dismissively. "I saw you two were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you."

"Were you in Tibbett's room?"

"We were trying to figure out what to do about the formal. The best we can think of is to get to girls to go with us and go as a group."

"That's a good idea. We'll join you as well, if you'd like. We can all sit at the same table." Elphaba liked that idea. Though she usually disliked large groups of people, if she were going to be forced to be in one, at least she'd be with like-minded people. Misery loves company, after all.

"Thank you, Elphie. We just need to find actual girls to go with us."

"Pfanee and Shen-Shen?"

"Not a bad idea. We could try."

"I know that one or both of them have been… involved with Avaric at some point, but I doubt that's still going on." Elphaba smirked.

"Scandalous! I never knew you were in on such gossip."

She shrugged. "I have my sources. Besides, it's old gossip."

"Fae," Fiyero interrupted, "where did you hear that, exactly?" His hand slid around her waist.

She turned to him. "I'm not going to reveal that." Elphaba flashed him a look, hoping he'd understand she'd discuss it with him further when Crope was not present.

He nodded and dropped her gaze, squeezing her side to indicate he got the message. "If you say so."

"Maybe we should start a petition," she said thoughtfully. "So many of us don't want to go to this. If enough of us put up a fight, perhaps they'd cancel this antiquated tradition."

"I don't think you should start trouble now, Fae. It's our last semester. Let's just get out of this school and be done with it."

She sighed. "You're probably right."

"I think she has a point," Crope argued.

"Then you start the petition," Fiyero replied.

"And why shouldn't I be involved?" She demanded.

"You've told me how Morrible hates you. As far as I know, Crope and Tibbett have not gotten in any trouble. It makes more sense."

"If they start the petition," she insisted, "I'm still signing it."


	30. Chapter 30

"Oh, Fiyero, don't stop. Sweet Oz, that feels good. Mmm, just a little harder, I beg you."

Glinda leered at them across the room. "Elphie, do you have any idea how that sounds?"

Her eyes were closed, enjoying the feel of Fiyero's hands on her shoulders, pressing into her muscles and relaxing them. His palms rubbed her back, clothed of course. "We're not doing anything inappropriate."

"You're so tense," Fiyero commented. "You need to relax."

"I would if I could."

"He's right, you know. I don't know why you're so stressed. You barely have to do any planning for the weddings," Glinda added.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I still have to go to the fittings for the dress, approve everything you two decide on, actually be at both weddings, and then there's finishing out this semester."

"The formal is next week. We found you a dress. It'll be over before you know it," the blonde assured her.

"I can't believe nobody paid attention to Crope's petition."

"He only got seventeen signatures." Fiyero reminded her gently.

"Two of which were ours. Glinda…" She glared at her roommate.

"I like dances! I wasn't going to sign!"

"We weren't going to abolish the dance, Glinda. We were just trying to get rid of the part about it being mandatory. If you had actually read the whole thing, maybe you would've understood that." Elphaba looked back down at her books.

"If you're going to be that way, I'm going to visit Pfanee and Shen-Shen." Glinda gathered her things and stomped out the door.

"You know her signature wouldn't have made a difference. They needed more than just one more." Fiyero eyed the door as it slammed shut.

"I know. But if she had signed it, maybe other people would've seen and wanted to follow her lead. People admire her."

"You need to stop giving her a hard time about it, Fae."

"I know, I know. I just wish I could calm down." She leaned back against him, her face in the crook of his neck.

"Give it a few months. We'll be married and happy and everything will be fine." He ran a hand through her hair.

"I love how you think that's the be all and end all of happy endings, my love, but I doubt the stress will end there. Come to think of it, we haven't talked about the situation when it comes to having children, Yero."

He pursed his lips, clearly unhappy that she was bringing the subject up. "You're certain you don't want children?"

"Nothing's ever certain, but I'd say that's a good bet." She looked at him. "What about you? Do you want children? Because if you do, maybe this isn't the best idea, us getting married. I don't want you to give that up because of me." Her eyes lowered and she was suddenly aware of her toes.

"I hadn't put a lot of thought into the topic, to be honest," he said. "It, much like me marrying Sarima, was something that was a given for most of my life. The option to choose wasn't there."

"And it's there now? How would we not have children? You're going to be the king."

"And you're going to be Eminent Thropp. How would that be passed down without children?"

"Through Nessa or Shell."

"You expect Nessa to have children?" Fiyero laughed. "I was guessing that Nessa was going to be an old maid - by choice, of course."

"You're probably right. But there's still Shell."

"I haven't even met your brother."

"They sent him to boarding school. He was the only normal one among us and I suppose they wanted to keep him that way." Elphaba stood, stretching her now loosened muscles.

"Back to the topic at hand," Fiyero said.

"You don't have siblings. How would the line of succession go for you?"

"I have a few bastard half-siblings," he admitted. "And I have uncles and cousins. I suppose it would go through one of them."

"Fiyero, listen, marrying me… it means you probably won't have children. I don't want that unless it's what you want," she insisted.

"I don't know what I want there. What I do know, Elphaba, is that I want you. That's all." He took her hands in his. "I only want you. Whatever else comes, let it. Or not. You will be my queen and that is the only thing I'll ever need."

She nodded, her cheeks warming under the gaze of his eyes. "This is so strange."

"What?"

"Me getting married. Me in love. Any of this."

"It wasn't what I thought my future would be, either." He kissed her, drawing her waist to him. "You are unpredictable and unexpected." Hands in her hair, he kissed her again, deeply.

Glinda came back in the room, then. "I think they're studying in the library. No one answered my knock." She raised her eyebrows. "You two look cozy."

"Stop that," Elphaba waved her roommate away, pulling away from Fiyero. "We were just talking."

"Really? Because I think your mouths were otherwise occupied." Glinda giggled.

"It was merely a quick kiss. This is why we spend most of our time in his room, you know," Elphaba threatened.

"It's getting late," Fiyero commented. "I should probably head back to my room. Do you want to join me?"

"I'll stay here tonight."

He pouted, but placed a swift kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you later, then. I love you." He was out the door before she could respond.

"You two are the strangest, albeit most adorable, couple I have ever seen," Glinda observed. "When you told me last year what had happened between you two, I wasn't sure what to expect. And now you're marrying him."

"We were just talking about that," Elphaba laughed. "It is… different."

"But you're happy, and that's what matters. You two are certainly very physical, though."

"So?"

"What happens when you get older and that's not as important anymore?"

"That is a long ways away. And we talk plenty, Glinda. If there comes a time where we don't touch as much anymore, there are other ways to enjoy his company."

"Good."

"What? Were you doubting this relationship? You had more confidence in it than I did, at some points."

"I wasn't doubting. I was just checking in. My relationship is different than yours."

"Your relationship?" Elphaba couldn't believe Glinda had not told her something.

"It's nothing." The blonde girl's cheeks were almost purple, she was blushing so darkly.

"Who's taking you to the formal, Glinda?" It occurred to Elphaba that Glinda had been so focused on her and Fiyero that she hadn't spoken much about herself.

"Boq."

"BOQ? Are you serious?"

"He's very… kind."

"Right. You've narrowly avoided going out with him for the past three years. What changed?"

"Nothing." Glinda lowered her eyes.

But Elphaba knew what had changed. Watching her and Fiyero, seeing them progress from whatever their relationship had been to getting married… Glinda wanted something like that (well, minus the physical aspect, she assumed). Elphaba wasn't sure if she'd get it from Boq, but she wasn't going to call her on it. Instead, she merely said, "I'm happy for you."


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note: Okay, my sweet friends, this is where I catch up to myself. I have plans for after this, though they are hazy. So I know I'm not done. But writing "Under Covers' has kind of taken over a little. When that fades down, I'll probably come back to this a bit more. Don't abandon this, because I intend for there to be more sometime relatively soon, okay? I mean, they still have to get MARRIED. Twice. :-)**

The formal was a Saturday night, and though she had spent most of the day and would be spending the night in Fiyero's room, Elphaba dressed in her room. Glinda had insisted on helping her. She had said it would be practice for the weddings. Standing before the mirror, she shook her head. "I look silly."

"You look beautiful." Glinda sounded almost in awe.

"I look like… like a doll. One of those child-like porcelain dolls you see in those expensive stores with the accentuated features and rosy cheeks. Except that this doll had some sort of defect and her skin was accidentally dyed green." She turned to one side and then the other.

"Glinda is right. You look absolutely stunning, Fae. You always look lovely, of course." Fiyero stood in the doorway, flowers in hand.

She turned and looked at him, his hair combed (something he rarely did) and in his best dress clothes. "You're early."

He set the flowers down on her desk and walked over to her, taking her hand delicately. "Despite the fact that this event is not my cup of tea, I was eager to see you." Fiyero looked at Glinda. "You did this?"

"I did." The blonde had been dressed and ready hours before so she would have time to help her roommate. Her hair was in perfect ringlets, and her dress was blush colored, cut off just past the knees in a ruffle. She looked perfect, but that was no different than usual.

Elphaba glanced back in the mirror. Her dress was the color of red wine. It went down to the floor, tight around her waist and legs. Glinda had said it fit her slim figure perfectly. Her hair was mostly up in a fancy bun with two or three strands curled on each side of her face. Her lips were the same color as her dress. "I can't believe I let her do this."

Fiyero pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "I can't believe I get to make love to the most beautiful woman in all of Oz tonight."

"Fiyero…"

"I can hear better than you think I can," Glinda folded her arms across her chest.

"He could've said worse," Elphaba grinned mischievously.

"I apologize," Fiyero said. "Sometimes I look at her and I can barely help myself."

"I've noticed," Elphaba smiled into his eyes. "Sometimes, my sweet, I feel the same."

"If you two continue on like this, you'll never make it to the formal." Glinda pretended to gag. "Perhaps you should head over."

"And when is Boq coming to meet you, Glinda?" Elphaba teased.

"Boq?" Fiyero raised his eyebrows.

"I'm right here," the Munchkin said from the doorway. He stepped inside, holding a much bigger bouquet of flowers than Fiyero had. "Good evening, you two. I hadn't gotten the chance to congratulate you on your engagement."

"Thank you," Fiyero said. "I didn't know you were talking Glinda to the formal."

"I don't like to brag," Boq shrugged.

"Glinda, too, has been unusually quiet about things," Elphaba added. Seeing the nervous look in Boq's eyes and then noting how Glinda was anxiously chewing on her lip, she decided maybe it was best to leave them. "But Glinda was right, we should go." Tugging Fiyero gently, she headed towards the door.

"But the flowers…"

"Later." She closed the door behind them. "Let them have a moment, Yero."

They began to walk towards the building in which the formal was being held. Fiyero extended his arm, "I suppose we should look fancy. Take my arm."

Elphaba did so, feeling like an imposter. This wasn't her, though it comforted her to know that it wasn't really him, either. At least she wasn't alone. "This is going to be a long evening."

"But it'll be over in a few hours and we can put it past us," he reminded her. "Finals are in three weeks and then we graduate. And then," he paused, "I get to marry you."

"Twice," she muttered.

"Most women would love having two celebrations, and the honor of that happens to fall on the one woman who hates it." He chuckled.

"Lucky me."

He paused outside the doors and turned to her. "You really do look amazing tonight."

"You don't look so bad yourself," she told him.

"Are you ready?"

"If I have to be."

All of the chairs had been removed from the lecture hall. It seemed much bigger without the podium and other items that usually made up the room. Streamers of all colors hung from the ceilings and a small band stood where the professor usually lectured from. Tables were arranged around the center of the room where there was a dance floor. At the door, Madame Morrible greeted each young couple. "Why, Miss Elphaba and Master Fiyero, it is true. I've heard rumblings of your engagement around campus, but I had never even seen you two together." The old woman beamed at them.

"We've been very discreet about our relationship, ma'am. We've never wanted to make a big show of our relationship." Fiyero bowed courteously.

"Understandable. I've never understood couples who feel the need to display their affection publicly. I admire your tact."

"And you heard correctly, we are engaged. We're getting married this summer. We only just got engaged over the winter holidays." Fiyero did all the talking, for which Elphaba was grateful. "It was a sort of whirlwind romance."

"I am so happy for both of you." The old woman clasped Elphaba's free hand. "I'm sure you will have a wonderful life together."

"Thank you," was all Elphaba could think to say as the couple behind them stepped up to the woman. As they walked away, she murmured to Fiyero, "This is so fake." She looked around the room and spotted Crope, Shen-Shen, Tibbett and Pfanee at a table. Crope was eagerly waving them over. "I think Crope wants us to sit with them."

"I see him. I guess they convinced Pfanee and Shen-Shen to go with them. Those two are joined at the hip just as much as the guys are, although I don't think in the same way." Fiyero walked her to the table.

"Elphaba, it's good to see you," Crope jumped up from his chair and engulfed her in a hug. Quietly he said, "I can't stand this."

"Me either," she mumbled back.

"You look nice, Miss Elphaba," Shen-Shen said.

"Thank you," Elphaba stammered. "So do you." She took a seat next to Fiyero. "I think Glinda and Boq will be here in a few moments."

"I never got the chance to congratulate you on your engagement," Tibbett said to them. "You two make an interesting pair. I was rather shocked at first, but now I can't imagine a better couple. It just makes sense."

Elphaba forced a smile. "Thank you." Looking over, she spotted her roommate entering with Boq. She'd never been so happy to see Glinda in her life. She waved at her as the blonde made small talk with the headmistress. Turning back to the table, she asked, "Where is Avaric?"

"Apparently he had his father write a very stern letter and he managed to get out of this. I wish I had a powerful father," Crope sulked.

"That bastard."

"Why, Miss Elphaba! That language is unbecoming!" Pfanee seemed absolutely horrified.

She waved it off as Glinda came walking over with Boq in tow. Boq smiled proudly at the group. "How is it going over here?"

"Miserable," Elphaba blurted.

Fiyero put a hand on her arm. "We're just a little tense."

"It looks as though everyone has pretty much arrived. They're probably going to start the dancing soon. We're all going to be expected to dance," Glinda looked at her roommate pointedly.

"It just gets better every minute, doesn't it?"

"Fae, we're going to have to dance at our wedding, too. It'll be fine."

At that point, the music changed and all the couples were invited to the dance floor. Not everyone rose from their tables, but a large chunk of people did. Elphaba stood up. "We might as well get this over with."

Fiyero laughed and slid an arm around her waist as he brought her to the dance floor. "Just think, once we're done dancing and we've eaten a little, maybe we can bow out early."

"That would be a dream come true." Elphaba took his other hand and placed one on his chest as he maneuvered her around the dance floor. She didn't quite know what she was doing, but they'd taken classes when she was younger. Of course, back then she'd never had a partner. But he took care to lead gently, making sure she didn't trip. He'd probably had training back home, too, with actual people. She concentrated on counting the steps.

When they sat down twenty minutes later, her feet were aching. She couldn't wait to get these shoes off her feet. The heels weren't exactly high, but she'd never worn anything with any amount of heel before, and her feet were protesting. A dinner had already been placed at their table. She nibbled at it, but stress made her appetite minimal.

Luckily, she was pretty much left out of the conversation after that point. Glinda occupied Pfanee and Shen-Shen while Crope and Tibbett talked in hushed voices. Boq and Fiyero talked a little, but the conversation seemed to die down quickly.

After another hour, Fiyero grabbed her arm. "One or two couples have left. What if we dance for one or two more songs and then get out of here?"

The throbbing in her feet had slowed and she thought she could take a little so she nodded. He took her outstretched arm and they danced slowly. "You're coming back with me tonight, right?" His voice was barely a murmur in her ear.

"Yes. I know the perfect way to let out all of the anxiety from the evening," she pressed her hand against his chest eagerly. "As long as I don't have to stand. Darling, my feet are killing me."

"Oh, I'll keep you off of your feet for a few hours," he promised.


	32. Chapter 32

Finals came and went. Graduation was a quick affair. Soon enough, they were on the way to Nest Hardings, where the first wedding would take place in four days. They spent their last night together before marriage in an inn on the way.

"What are the sleeping arrangements before and after the wedding, Fae?" Fiyero asked late that night.

"Nest Hardings is my grandparents' home. They have the master bedroom, which we inherit upon my grandfather's passing. My mother's old room is the largest outside of that, and that is to be the bedroom we will use on our marriage night and every time we come to visit afterwards. We're both going to be in seperate guest rooms prior to the wedding. Most of my family and yours will be staying at a local inn. I thought you and Glinda had discussed everything?"

"Mostly day-of arrangements," he shrugged. "Are you nervous?"

"Why should I be? Are you?"

"Excited. You know, Elphaba, after this, you're stuck with me."

Elphaba laughed. "There's no one else I'd rather be stuck with."

Once they arrived, she was dragged away from Fiyero and thrown into gown fittings and tours of the hall in which they were to be married. Her father would officiate, unfortunately. Glinda accompanied her to everything, which made things the slightest bit more tolerable.

"Elphie, you're going to look so beautiful," the blonde had tears in her eyes.

She shook her head. "Glinda, don't do this now. I'm getting married in twelve hours.

"It's just you looked so lovely in the dress at your fitting today. What am I going to do without you?" Her breathing became ragged and she was sobbing.

"You will come visit. And besides, you'd be without me wedding or no wedding. We just graduated, Glinda."

"This all just moved so quickly."

And it had. Suddenly, she stood listening to her father preach for what felt like hours. She bounced on her feet, waiting for it to end. As soon as she was whisked away to the room where she would spend the night with her husband. Before he even entered the room, she grabbed a small knife from a draw and drew it across her upper leg as she sat on the bed, wincing.

"Fae, what the hell are you doing?" He walked into the room and grabbed the knife from her, looking horrified.

"Fiyero, I'm supposed to be a virgin right now. Which means I'm supposed to bleed." She let several drops of blood fall on the sheets and then quickly bandaged her leg. "I had to do it somewhere they wouldn't see."

"Well, that's a great start to our wedding night." He stared down at the bed.

"What did you want me to do? Tell my father how we met? It wouldn't go well." She drew a finger under his chin and lifted his face to hers, kissing him. "Why don't we enjoy our wedding night now, my love?"

He smiled and kissed her back. "That I can do."

They were quiet that night, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention. Elphaba smiled when it was over. "Did you ever think, when we met in the Philosophy Club, that we'd end up married?"

He laughed. "I thought maybe we'd end up in a hotel for a weekend, but no, not married."

"We did that, too."

"Believe me, I remember." He kissed her deeply. "But now we are married and I get to spend every night of my life with you, not just a hurried hotel weekend."

She rested against him. "It is kind of nice to know I don't have to go back to my own room or be ready to cover myself up when your roommate walks in."

He slid an arm around her shoulders. "That is a nice change. There's no rush anymore."

They headed to the Vinkus quickly after that. Glinda left the night of their wedding to finish making arrangements and would meet them when they got there. Elphaba, of course, got tired of these preparations had a little time before this wedding, and Elphaba found herself wandering the small castle that was about to become her home. There was a small room that had been designated as the library, though it appeared as books had merely been thrown haphazardly on shelves, most not even standing upright. She spent a lot of time trying to sort through them, having made organizing the tiny room her mission. Really, of course, she was avoiding any last minute planning Glinda would be doing.

"I've been wondering where you've been hiding," Fiyero smiled warmly at her, looking around the room.

She sat on the floor, surrounded by books. "You found me, huh?"

"I won't tell Glinda."

"You know me so well," she laughed.

"Anything good?" He gestured to the book she was currently holding.

She hadn't realized, but when he'd come in she'd pulled the book protectively against her chest. "Oh, well, actually I'm not certain."

"What do you mean?"

"It's odd. Fiyero, I didn't know any other languages. Well, I thought I didn't, but this is clearly foreign and yet I can read it." She held it out to him. "Do you recognize anything?"

He glanced down and flipped through a few pages. "No. What does it say?"

"It's a book of spells." Elphaba told him. "And they seem powerful. If this is real, I'm surprised it's here."

"Didn't you tell me once that any spell deemed important want under lock and key in the City?"

"Exactly."

He handed it back to her. "Maybe they never checked out here when they confiscated everything."

"Probably not. It wouldn't occur to them that people they probably consider to be barbarians would have anything of substance. Of course, they don't really know you or your people at all."

"I suppose you should make sure that stays safe, then."

"Believe me, I intend to. But I also intend to study it thoroughly. I'm going to learn these spells, memorize them."

"My wife the powerful witch," Fiyero mused.

"Better be careful, love, or I'll turn you into a frog," she teased.

"I doubt I'd be much use to your in that form."

"If I turned you into a Frog instead, you could still talk."

"Oh, but there are some other things about my human form I'm betting you would sorely miss."

"You'd be right." She kissed him.

"Are you going to continue hiding yourself away in here after the wedding tomorrow?"

"On occasion. You're welcome to join me, though, but…"

"But you like your alone time, I know. This room is yours, Fae. I won't come in here unless you invite me."

Sometimes, no matter how long they'd been together, no matter if they were married, it surprised her how well he understood her. She had thought no one ever would, had even accepted that. "I love you."

"I know."

Vinkun weddings were much more joyous occasions, a contrast to the somber attitude her father had instilled in Munchkinland. They were also expected to say their own vows, something Elphaba had balked at. She wasn't good at expressing herself.

Fiyero went first, of course. "Elphaba, I remember looking at you across the room when we first met and I knew you were different. I knew that moment that I had to be with you. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to get to that point," there was laughter from a few of their guests at that moment, "but I'm glad I found you. I didn't care about love. I hadn't thought it would be a part of my life. You've made it not only a part of my life, but a part of my life I never want to give up. I love you, Fae."

Elphaba flushed. Her voice was quiet. She knew what she wanted to say, had gone over it multiple times, but telling him her feelings like this in front of so many people? "Fiyero, you are everything I didn't know I wanted. I tried so hard to push you away because I felt threatened by the feelings that you stirred in my heart. But of course, you never could take no for an answer." There were more laughs. "I've never been happier that someone pushed me beyond my comfort zone in my life. I never saw myself getting married. I told you as much. And now I stand myself standing here, willingly, across from you. I love you."

The rest of the wedding went by in somewhat of a blur. It seemed that Vinkun weddings were also much quicker, or maybe it only seemed that way because of the copious amounts of alcohol everyone being drunk by the guests. Apparently, Vinkuns really enjoyed drinking. Elphaba herself only had a glass of wine during their party.

"When we first met, I recall telling you that you looked like a woman who drinks wine." Fiyero said to her.

"I remember. I also remember thinking that your voice was like a melody on my hears."

"You never told me that."

"I felt silly for thinking it at the time. You were a stranger, then."

"That might was…"

"Amazing."

"A long time ago. You still like the sound of my voice?"

"I love it, Fiyero. I love all of you."

"I think we can, um, retreat for the night," he whispered suggestively.

"They won't miss us?"

"Half of them will be passed out soon, anyway. Besides, it is our wedding night."

"Our second one."

"Well, the first one didn't really feel like a celebration."

"You didn't enjoy it? I did."

"I did. It just felt a little subdued."

"You're right." She gave him her hand. "Let's go."

As soon as the door shut behind them, she shrugged out of her clothes and turned to him, finding that he had done the same. "You know what I like about our ceremonial robes out here?" He smiled.

"What?"

"How quickly they come off." He pushed her against the wall.

"A little rough tonight?" She murmured.

"Just eager." He pressed his mouth against hers, pulling her against him by the waist.

"Mmm, I can tell," she breathed, leaning against the stone behind her.

He began kissing down her neck, then her chest. Fiyero took her breasts in his hands as he kissed them. There was some oil on the bedside table beside them and he began to rub it into her skin as his tongue continued to travel down her past her navel as he got on his knees.

Her eyes widened as he lifted one of her legs and placed it on his shoulder, then the other, as he buried his tongue inside her. "Yero." She gasped.

Both of his hands were pressing her hips against the wall as his lips moved and he explored her, tracing the folds of flesh deftly until she whimpered helplessly. Still holding her legs, he stood, pulling her into a hungry kiss. "I wanted you to be ready for me."

"Fiyero, you just need to say the word and I'm ready."

"I wanted to be sure." He pushed hard inside of her.

She wrapped her legs around him, taking him deeper.

He dropped his hands from her legs and instead caressed her body as he drove himself into her. "I married the most amazing woman in all of Oz," he told her.

Her arms wound around his neck as she used her legs to meet his rapid movements. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"That's fine. I'm right where I want to be," he replied, pressing her thighs further open with one hand, "inside you."

Her body quivered as he thrust into her again and again. "Oh, Fiyero, mmm, do me a favor."

"Anything for you, sweet Fae."

"Don't stop."

He didn't, not for a long time, until she begged him to.


	33. Chapter 33

Just under a week later, an urgent knock came at their bedroom door early in the morning. Elphaba nudged her husband. "Can you get that? You've made me so sore I can hardly move."

But before Fiyero could respond, the door burst open. His father was holding a thick envelope. "This was just hand-delivered for you two. It has the Wizard's seal."

Fiyero got up and grabbed the letter, tearing it open wondering aloud, "What could be so damned important?"

Elphaba pulled herself into a sitting position. "What is it?"

His eyes scanned the paper and his face twisted into anger. "What the…"

"What is it?" She repeated.

"Absolutely not. Who does he think he is?"

She was getting irritated. "Fiyero, give me that. Now."

He threw it at her. "You won't like it."

She began to read, wondering what could've rattled Fiyero so much. As she read, she began to understand. "This is insane."

His father was still standing near FIyero. "Both of you need to explain what's happening."

"The Wizard is unhappy that we chose to marry without consulting him. He seems to think we're joining the East and the West together in an effort to usurp his power. He wants us to declare the marriage invalid and annulled in front of everyone." Elphaba explained.

"And it's not happening," Fiyero added.

"Then what do you intend to do?" His father asked.

"I guess we're going to the City to plead our case."

"Why?" Elphaba demanded. "He doesn't get to decide who marries who."

"We can't just ignore him, though. We'll be thrown in Southstairs if we disobey him." Fiyero reminded her.

"Ridiculous! We've been engaged for months and he chooses to throw his little fit during our honeymoon?"

"We need to go. Pack your things."

They were on the way to the City by nightfall. "Some honeymoon," she muttered angrily.

"We had almost a week. I think if we'd spent much more time holed up in that room, Fae, you might have actually torn in two," he teased gently.

"I was still having a good time," she insisted.

"What if I just gave up my throne?"

"You can't be serious. No. And, despite the trouble it's caused me and the fact that I never wanted it, I'm not giving up the eminence. That's been around since before he came into power. And your family has run that tribe for even longer than that."

"Well, I'm not giving you up. You're my wife. I love you."

"I know that. I wouldn't consider it."

"I worked too hard to get here with you, Fae. Convincing you to actually be with me, getting permission to marry you. You were worth it and I'm not ever letting you go."

"You sound like a cliche."

"It's how I feeling. I'm not apologizing for it." He kissed her cheek.

"I wasn't asking you to. Fiyero, I'm not giving you up, either. But I swear, no one wants us to be together. It's like the world is working against us."

That night, she clung to him tightly, their legs tangled together. There were times when she had thought Fiyero was too good to be true, and every time they thought everything was safe, something threatened to pull them apart again. She didn't want him to know, but there was a part of her that was very afraid.

The City was still dark when they arrived as the sun began to rise behind the sparkling walls of the Wizard's palace.

"Fae, you look tired," Fiyero observed.

She hadn't slept. "I'm fine. Let's get to it."

"Maybe we should eat something. I doubt we can get anything done this early, anyway."

"What if he won't see us?" She murmured.

"Then we won't leave until he does." He squeezed her hand. "It'll be fine, Elphaba. We'll tell him we didn't intend anything when we got married - just to be together."

"You really think that'll be enough for him?" She shook her head.

"We'll start with that. And if it's not enough, then we'll figure it out. We always do." He got out of the carriage and held his hand out to help her.

"I wish I had your confidence," she muttered, jumping out of the carriage without taking his hand. Elphaba grabbed her things.

"That little diner over there looks like a good place for breakfast." He took her hand and dragged her inside, their bags over his shoulder.

"Are we staying the night in the City?"

"I'm hoping this is over and done with by dinner and we can be headed home. You're not the only one eager to get back to our honeymoon, you know."

She smiled. "Good."

He cupped her cheek. "You haven't smiled today. I was hoping you would at least once before we meet with the Wizard."

She drew away. "Yero, don't."

After they were seated, he took her hand again. "I promise, I'm not going to let anything happen."

"Fiyero, stop!" She said it quietly, but sternly. "You are being absolutely ridiculous. Stop making promises you don't know if you can keep. Right now, Fiyero, I'm not certain which one of us you're trying to comfort.

He blinked. "Fae… I'm just trying…"

"Well, don't. Not now. There's nothing to say, Fiyero. Not until we see what happens."

When they got to the Palace, a guard greeted them at the gate. "Names?"

"Prince Fiyero of the Arjikis and my wife, Princess Elphaba, Thropp Third Descending." Fiyero answered.

Elphaba flushed at being called a princess. She didn't feel like a princess, not in the conventional sense.

The guard looked at a scroll and, after a pause, said, "You don't appear to have an appointment."

"We don't. But we received this letter and wish to speak with his Ozness about it." Fiyero took the letter out of his pocket and thrust it at the guard.

The guard read over the letter and sighed. "Just a moment."

Fiyero and Elphaba stood in silence as they waited for the guard to return. It was over half an hour before he came back into the room, followed by two other guards. "You will have to wait several hours, but the Wizard will see you today."


End file.
